Ragnarök
by Zoe-eoZ
Summary: What if the monster in the Armory's vault had been the Fenris wolf of Norse mythology? Now he is on the loose and it's on Bonenzo (Benzo), Forwood, Klaus, Delena, Stefan, Alaric to save the world. Will Enzo finally learn about his family? Will Damon take the cure? An end-of-season-7 onward AU... With a side of Klenzo friendship. You know you needed that in your life!
1. Orlaith and Faelan

_Those of you who've already read "Tales from the Cabin" will notice that some of this sounds familiar. It's the story idea I mentioned._

 _I realize that I might not get much feedback for this, especially when posting the first ten chapters all at once, but I figured I'd give you what I got and hope for the best. I'd seriously love to hear what you guys think. The good, the bad, the ugly. All of it. Or nothing. I just hope some of you will get some enjoyment out of it._

 _Note that this is merely the beginning. We will be catching up to the start of a completely changed season 8 basically. There'll be more familiar faces showing up in chapter 2. Then the rest of the bunch soon after. The main focus will definitely remain on Bonnie and Enzo, however, the story happened to evolve into a Forwood fic as well as Delena at some point. Just so you know._

 _..._

 _Dedicated to everyone who gives this a chance and especially to those reading it all! Thank you! :)_

* * *

 **...**

 **Osraighe / Ireland, 12th century…**

The girl was running as fast as she could. The trees around her that had formed a forest behind her started to thin out again and soon she'd be able to see the coastline. She just had to keep going.

Her legs were starting to burn with exhaustion. Her dark reddish hair flew around her, lower hanging branches and bushes trying to snatch her by it, and her arms were busy trying to protect her head.

"Orlaith!"

She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment as if that would make the voices stop. Then she concentrated back on the path in front of her. She couldn't let them capture her. The boat was waiting, or so she hoped. It was her only hope.

It was time.

As the woods cleared in front of her, making room for a wide and vast green meadow, she knew she'd almost made it. But this was also the most dangerous part of her flight. Out in the open she was an easy prey.

"Orlaith!" They shouted her name again. But she was Orlaith no more.

There! She could see water glitter in the distance. She was gasping for air, the muscles in her legs seizing. No, she thought, don't fail me. Not yet.

And then she felt a big force crash into her. She tumbled, she fell. It was over.

Except, it wasn't. Instead of meeting the ground, she felt herself being lifted up and carried away. Fast.

The world flew past her as she felt warmth around her. His warmth. She clung to him, her hands in his hair so as not to fall off, and she rested her head against him until they reached her destination.

It was a quick unceremonious parting. He pretty much hurled her onto the boat and she started rowing till her arms were tired and he was a mere form at the coastline. A beautiful form. Majestic. Fighting a losing fight. Her Faelan. She held the necklace he'd once given her and that would be her only reminder of their time together, and finally allowed herself to start crying.

* * *

…

She never learned that the fight she'd witnessed from afar hadn't been so lost after all. He'd fought hard.

The desperation of those who believe all is lost can sometimes unearth powers so strong that even a fight one against many can end with a surprising win, and in Faelan's case it did. He got badly hurt, he almost died. He crawled away from the arena of his fight on all fours, wounded so bad that he was sure he'd die.

But he didn't. He survived. Against all odds, he survived, the urge to see her again the one thing that kept him going even though he knew he couldn't. Shouldn't… He had to protect her. Them. Forever.

So when he followed her, he stayed hidden, in the shadows, in the night. Sometimes, he did visit her. And it was beautiful, but also dangerous. He could never stay and never go.

He watched as her family grew. The child she'd carried when she'd fled her home, his child, was only the first.

He watched her live, find another partner. He watched her die.

Years passed, centuries.

When the potato famine forced them to leave their home yet again, their ancestor was almost a forgotten memory, though not to him. Never to him…

If it hadn't been for her necklace, with the locket he'd given her, being passed on as an heirloom from generation to generation, her name might have vanished into oblivion, but it didn't. Orlaith's locket traveled with them to the New World, and so did Faelan. It was the last he had of her and he wouldn't ever let it go.

Greener pastures awaited him, perfect hunting grounds. It was a new beginning.

And it was once again his world to conquer, and his to hide in…


	2. Once bitten

**Present Day...**

The Armory lay dark in the night, a looming building, chock full of supernatural artifacts, and the part that creeped Enzo out the most was its tomb-like facade. Every time he stepped into it, he felt like he was entering a crypt of the dead.

He concentrated hard so as not to allow his body to shiver as he walked down the hallway, neither looking left nor right.

"Cousin." Alexandria's legs were dangling from the table she sat on. But once he'd almost reached her, she hopped down and walked to close the gap between them.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Enzo asked, feigning to check the time on his phone. "1:30 am is not exactly your usual time for a meeting…"

She smirked, tapped his jacket in a too familiar way. He swatted her hand away, but other than that didn't show any reaction.

"I have a job for you."

"You always have a job for me. But this one couldn't wait till morning?"

She ignored his jest. "Since my team is still out searching for…" she seemed to re-evaluate her approach and started again, "I need you to drive down south. There's a place called Winter's Cove. Find a woman named Maeve O'Reilly. She'll have a locket for you. I need that locket."

He raised an eyebrow, "What does it do?" He folded his arms in front of him, waiting, as she glared at him.

"That's none of your concern."

"Then I'm not going," he said firmly. His tone brokered no argument. "What a pleasure to meet you, Alex." He waved and turned on one foot, ready to head out the door. He started walking. They both knew it was all just a show, that he'd never just leave like that. Because she wouldn't let him. They both couldn't afford it to happen.

"We will eventually find her, you know that, right? You're not helping her, Enzo."

"I don't know who you're talking about." Of course he knew. And of course he knew she knew.

"Let's not play that game right now. Bring me the locket. It's… obviously, a magical object. It's supposed to have powerful magic. Dangerous magic. We need to keep the wrong people from using it."

"Right." He still had his back to her, but he'd listened to every word she'd said. "The wrong people, huh? Ingenious."

"You have until tomorrow. Then I'll need you back here to-"

"Finally tell me something about my family that's actually useful? Or will you just continue blackmailing me into doing more of your dirty work for you? Dangling that carrot in front of me, hoping I'm desperate enough to wait forever?"

"Aren't you, though? Desperate?" She questioned, and he whirled around to see her grin. He bit the inside of his lip, forcing himself to swallow down his anger.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tell the witch I said hi…"

"So that Maeve woman is a witch," he said, already halfway to the door, "good to know."

"Very funny, Enzo. But yeah, she actually is, too..."

He shot her a glance, gauging, then sped out the door, leaving the door flying, allowing a burst of ice cold air inside that made Alexandria shiver uncomfortably.

She knew she was playing a dangerous game with a dangerous man. But she was used to danger...

* * *

…

Bonnie was spending her days alone in the cabin, busying herself with research, trying to make semi decent food for herself. And singing.

Right now, she'd bundled herself up against the cold and was busy cleaning the snow off of the doorsteps with a large broom. She didn't want to end up getting stuck in the cabin for real because a pile of snow blocked the entrance.

A magicless witch with a broom, she thought, and chuckled to herself. How much more ridiculous could her life get?

She was annoyed, though. Annoyed that she was all alone and he was out there. Living his normal life. As normal as it could be when you were a vampire with a dark past and a shady family that had lured you into their business.

She was seriously finding excuses for him now? She shook her head at the realization.

With a loud sigh, she stopped what she was doing and shook the snow off of the broom.

He'd really gotten under her skin. There was no denying that.

She glanced inside and over to where his guitar stood against the wall, unused, and she almost felt a bit of regret. He probably thought she was practicing when all she did was stare at the instrument and tell it, "maybe tomorrow." She simply didn't want to deal with the sore fingertips at the moment.

It was still cold, but thanks to a bit of handy work from Mr. Vampire, the newly insulated windows didn't let nowhere near as much of a draft in as they had done in the past. And she'd gotten pretty dang good at making a decent fire. Which helped, too.

She missed his company, though. She missed her friends, too. She hated being so out of the loop on anything going on in everyone's lives. But she knew she had to keep her distance. Couldn't get involved.

She set the broom down right next to the door, and went inside, leaving the cold out there.

Time for a little bit of singing, a big bowl of pasta, and then an unending slew of research material…

She got this.

* * *

…

Winter's Cove was as cold and snowy as its name promised. Enzo grinned to himself as he found himself thinking of Bonnie. She'd have loved to come on this little trip. She'd probably have thought the town was quaint and cozy.

She'd probably have changed her mind once she'd seen the dark staircase leading into nothing that he was getting ready to climb down now. He gritted his teeth at the thought.

He'd had to compel only a handful of people to glean information on Maeve O'Reilly's whereabouts. The last one had been the jackpot that had led him here. A remote spot in a clearing in the woods a little outside of the town. Not shady at all.

He'd sighed and straightened and gotten out of his car to do what needed to be done.

"Be careful, dude. She's crazy people. They all are," the last bloke he'd talked to had said and Enzo had frowned at him while pretending to have a beer in that little ramshackle bar.

"Crazy, how?"

"I don't know, man, just… real crazy. Like, howling at the moon and shit. Like they're, you know…" he'd lowered his voice considerably, "werewolves or something."

Enzo had felt the urge to punch something. Instead, he'd pretended to laugh and then compelled the poor fool to forget all about the stranger that had asked too many random questions.

Werewolves. Alexandria couldn't have mentioned that? Briefly he considered giving her the benefit of the doubt, then he shook his head. Nope. That bitch had known.

So here he was, at a place that was apparently their "meeting ground" and he readied himself to face whatever was down there. Why he even proceeded was another question, one he couldn't quite answer. Was it because he knew Alex would come after him if he didn't present her with the locket? Which, in turn, would mean endangering Bonnie? Or was it an intrinsic urge to tempt fate? He loved to challenge the world, after all, and with it his health.

Either way, he was going down there. He felt the darkness surround him, and it took his vampiric eyesight a moment to adjust before he could make out walls carved into rock. It was an underground cave he had walked into.

His fingers traced the crude walls, guiding him. Was the woman really down here? And would she even have the locket? He felt odd marks under the palm of his hand and looked a little closer. Lines. Like those a big animal's claws might leave.

Fantastic, he thought. The kid hadn't lied when he'd called them werewolves. Enzo rolled his eyes and pressed his lips together, but went on. No going back anymore.

The cave was narrow at first, almost like a tunnel, but soon it opened into a wider, almost roomlike cavern. He could finally stand up to his full height again, a small relief.

He scrutinized the place. It was pretty barren, except for a long altar of sorts that stood close to the back wall, and there was another hole to the side, small. Dark. But it might fit a person.

He rolled his eyes in annoyance. He'd have to climb in there, didn't he? Of course…

He sped over to it, peeking in briefly before stooping down to walk inside. He almost backed away and out of there as quickly as he'd entered.

There was the woman, or so he assumed, because she was in the middle of transition.

She'd been chained - or had she done it herself? - to the low ceiling, and her limbs were writhing and making breaking sounds under his gaze when suddenly, she looked straight at him out of wide amber eyes. A hiss escaped her, a growl. And he held his hands half up, as if in surrender.

"I didn't meant to interrupt," he said, his voice sounding hoarse and hollow, "You keep on… doing your thing, and I guess I'll just keep on doing mine up there," he pointed, then waved her goodbye, but suddenly his gaze fell on something shiny around her neck. He cringed. "That would be my luck," he muttered to himself and a loud howl droned out his thoughts for a moment. The woman was far gone. Probably too far to still be coherent.

"You're Maeve, aren't you, love? I'd say I'm pleased to meet you, but that would be a blatant lie, and I think you deserve better than that." He did what he always did in the eye of danger. He chatted. "I'm sorry, I really am, but I will need to take that pretty locket you're wearing around your neck." He pointed and she followed his finger with her intense gaze, but didn't say anything. Instead, she gave another growl.

"Please do us both a favor and don't try to bite me, alright? I'm really not here to hurt anyone. Or get hurt," he added, then lunges forward and tore the necklace off of her.

A piercing howl escaped her that made him hold his hands over his ears. He didn't linger much longer. With a last "It was a pleasure," he sped out of the hole, and out of the cave, her animalistic noises traveling with him.

He'd almost made it over to his car, the locket tucked away deep in his pocket, and had started allowing himself to think he might just make it out of there alive and well, when a huge dark shadow dripped on him from out of nowhere and a heavy weight pulled him down.

He fought, he bared his fangs. Then the… thing moved and the next thing he knew, it sank its teeth into his shoulder and he heard his collarbone crunch as if it was as brittle as an old branch. The pain was so startling, so great, that momentarily, he lost all senses. He couldn't see, or hear, or smell. He couldn't even feel the pain. He just knew it was there and that it would explode into something truly awful any second.

He let go. He'd lost the fight. It was as if he was in a vacuum and time stood still. Was this really how it was going to end? After everything? A freaking werewolf?!

Bonnie was alone in that cabin. She relied on him…

As soon as he'd thought that thought, the pain shocked him like a million volts of electricity. It shook his body, he couldn't control any of it, and for some strange reason, the beast suddenly yowled and let go of him as if it, too, had been hurt.

* * *

…

He had no idea how much time had passed. But when he came to, the day was starting to dawn. He blinked against the light, and tried to assess the situation. He was laying slumped against his car, his head and neck at an awkward angle that alone would have caused any normal person to get a nasty headache. He sighed, but the slightly deeper than before inhalation sent new waves of pain through his body and his breathing automatically turned shallow.

He tried to look down to where the werewolf - because it had to have been one - had bitten him, and flinched. Blood. So much of it. And bone. He could see parts of it sticking out of him as if he was a broken puppet. Definitely not good. Not good at all. Absently, he patted his side pocket and felt the slight bulge of the locket in there. He noticed bite marks in his jacket, right above it. He closed his eyes. If he didn't know any better, he'd assume the locket had protected him from a worse fate. At least that was something.

Then again, he was pretty sure he was dying. So there was that. And it was not pretty. He was in agony. Alone. He'd been there, done that too many times. He closed his eyes again.

Bonnie was still in the cabin. If he didn't get her more pills, Alex would eventually detect her. Lock her up. Do something else with her.

If Alex got to him - or he went to her in his current state, she'd probably find Bonnie even quicker.

He clenched his jaw painfully hard. He had to get to her. He couldn't be found like this. He couldn't endanger her.

He grappled with his hands on the floor, trying to get them in a good position. His left arm, his whole left side felt like liquid fire as he did.

With a huge effort, he forced himself upright, and almost immediately slumped back against the car, panting. At least he was sitting now…

It took him another ridiculous fifteen minutes until he could finally close the car door behind him and drive off. And not a minute too early for right then he saw a movement in the corner of his eye. The woman, for she was a woman now, ran up out of the cave and came stumbling toward him, yelling something, he couldn't understand what.

He made the wheels screech out in protest as he backed away and went on his way, leaving Winter's Cove behind him, and hopefully forever.

...

The way back to her went by in a strange feverish blur. It was a bit of a miracle that he didn't just pass out and drive into a ditch on the way, but the thought of her alone made him focus and hang on.

Until, at last, he saw the cabin…

...


	3. A werewolf bite, a locket, and a witch

Bonnie was feeling miserable. It had started with a slight raspy feeling in her throat. She'd thought it was because of all the singing she'd done to kill time -and to feel a little less lonely.

She wouldn't have to tell Enzo that she hadn't touched the stupid guitar even once while he was gone, right?

But then her throat had started hurting and she'd downed a glass of hot water with lemon juice and honey to soothe it. She'd fallen asleep cuddled up in her bed, under all the blankets she could find, because a sudden inner cold that had nothing to do with the winter outside had made her shiver.

When she'd woken up again, her nose had been stopped up, her head had felt like it was ready to explode, and she'd not even made the smallest effort to try and get up till it was almost noon and her bladder started to protest.

Bonnie crawled out of bed and slowly made her way to the bathroom. She felt dizzy and tired and every step hurt. Her limbs were so achy. Of course she'd end up with some type of bad cold or flu during her stay out here. Far away from any pharmacy or doctor, and not even Enzo there to take care of her.

Well, if she was honest, the latter was probably for the better. She'd have been too embarrassed to have him see her like this.

Washing her hands after she was done was a chore. She leaned heavily on the sink and stared at her dull reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her hair looked like a bird's nest. Her eyes had the sheen of fever, and her throat looked red and swollen. Great. She should probably just hobble back over to the bed and try to sleep some more.

No. She grimaced. She'd at least have to wash herself a little bit and put a fresh shirt on.

She couldn't let herself go completely, she owed that to herself. Dignity, she reminded herself, and grinned sheepishly at the thought.

She was in the middle of cleaning herself up when she suddenly heard a car approach outside. It made an unmistakable noise in the harsh snow that traveled all the way over to the cabin, and she was instantly more alert.

She felt her pulse in her ears, an uncomfortable feeling, and she did her best to hurry and put a wide gray shirt on before the car stopped.

When it did, she was already by the door, the long gun in hand that Enzo had given her "in case of an emergency." She'd asked him what kind of emergency he'd pictured, but he'd only made a face at her.

Bonnie didn't expect him back till at least another few days, so who could it be? Alexandria? Had she found the safe house?

Would Bonnie stand a chance against the woman and her Armory soldiers? Probably not. Especially not in her current state. She felt her nose start to run as if to remind her. She pressed her teeth together. She didn't even dare to sniff because every sound she made seemed magically enhanced and way louder than it should be.

She positioned herself so that she could look outside the window. She checked, then let herself fall against the door, relieved. It was Enzo's car.

He was just early.

She slumped down on the couch and waited for him, ready to give him a lecture. Why hadn't he called her, or at least messaged her a quick word of warning that he'd be back earlier than expected.

He could have asked her whether she needed anything that he could get for her on his way back. She'd craved oranges for the last two weeks, for example, but there had been none left.

* * *

…

When he still hadn't exited the car ten minutes later, she started to become suspicious. What the hell was going on? Was he, perhaps, not alone?

In her feverish head she decided it was safer to just walk out there and confront him - and whoever he might have brought - than be a sitting duck in here. So she donned her long overcoat, haphazardly wrapped her scarf around her neck, pulled a beanie over the mess that was her hair, and walked out, gun still at the ready.

"Enzo?" She called out, trudging through the thick snow. The air was icy and so crisp that it made her nose tingle. She wiggled it uncomfortably. "Enzo."

When she'd walked all the way over to his car, annoyed about the lack of an answer from him and that he let her freeze like that, she finally caught a first glimpse of him through the windshield. He was leaning back, staring at her, one hand clenched around the steering wheel as if he was holding on for dear life. She furrowed her brow and jerked her head as a form of question.

He still didn't move or try to say anything.

Bonnie had finally rounded the car and came to the door on the driver's side. She opened it with a mittened hand and it sprung toward her easily. She could hear him breathe then, but other than that he remained silent.

She suddenly noticed, though, that his breathing came in short labored bursts and her anger made way for worry.

She looked at him, and their gazes locked. His wide dark eyes held no explanation of what was going on, but he stared at her as if she was the one thing that kept him from succumbing to unconsciousness. His breathing normalized the tiniest bit upon seeing her, although it continued sounding rather erratic.

"Please don't pass out, " her plea came out as a whisper and his lips curled into the trace of a smile.

"You didn't get yourself shot again, did you?" Bonnie asked accusingly as she climbed half into the car to unbuckle him and see what was the matter. He made a sound when she gently but firmly pried his right hand off the steering wheel, forcing him to relax the arm. A moan perhaps, a gasp, but other than that he showed no reaction.

"Because," she continued, forcing herself to keep her voice level and calm, "we had a deal. This was not to become a regular occurrence."

This got a small pained chuckle out of him, more like a burst of air than anything. And he flinched as soon as it had escaped his lips.

She was still leaning half across him and could feel the heat coming off of him, a stark contrast to the air surrounding them.

"Care to help me out a bit? I don't think I'll be able to carry you out of here, you know..."

He jerked his head up the tiniest bit, a nod of sorts, but then he flinched again and froze. His breathing stopped for a long moment and she found herself placing a hand against his cheek, cocking her head slightly, frowning.

"Breathe, Enzo. Come on. Breathe," she cajoled and watched him take a ragged labored breath. Still no words, just another sound of pain.

"You're scaring me," she admitted, her hand half forgotten on his cheek, her voice hoarse from her sore throat, "What can I do? Can I do anything?"

His jaw was clenched against whatever pain was raging in his body, but finally he managed to lift his right arm and he touched the collar of his jacket on the left side, just a flutter of his fingers before his hand sank back down again. She followed his movement with her eyes, then looked at him again. A question remained unspoken before she pulled the fabric away and he involuntarily jerked away from her touch, turning slightly to the side.

She gasped in shock. "Who did that? What did that…" She blurted and was afraid of the answer.

Were those… bitemarks? It almost looked like a large chunk of his lower neck was missing, the clavicle was crushed. The skin around it looked raw and broken, muscle and sinews visible.

"Please tell me this wasn't a werewolf," she breathed, unaware that there were tears starting to well in her eyes. He grimaced, his lips forming a pained line. The small expression was answer enough.

"Sorry love," he finally choked out, and she could see how much it hurt him to even talk. She briefly thought of her own sore throat and almost chuckled.

What a stupid coincidence. Of course fate would make it so that just when she needed someone to take care of her for a change, the only someone available showed up at her doorstep in an even bigger need. Bonnie sighed. She had been so ready for someone to take care of her. Someone to bring her milk with honey, and cough syrup, and sit by the side of her bed, holding her head, reading her a story, making sure she slept enough and drank enough...

But no. Fate sent her a half dead Enzo St. John instead. She'd have to take care of him instead.

For some reason, the thought wasn't as disappointing as it should have been.

She looked at him again, her brow furrowed with worry. She tried to smile for his sake when she saw actual fear in his eyes. That was something new…

Why hadn't his people - the Armory - brought him in and patched him up? Why was he here? How had he even made it out here without passing out?

"I need you to help me, Enzo," she informed him, concentrating back on the task at hand, "you need to try and get up and out of the car, okay? We need to get you inside…"

He stared at her, then nodded almost imperceptibly. She saw him try to work up some last remnant of strength and she gently whispered, "You can do this..."

Together they managed to get him out somehow, and into a standing position, heavily leaning against the car, while she held him up from the other side. She was so close to him that his heat made the cold bearable for the first time since she'd gotten the flu.

She couldn't believe this was actually happening, but here she was, trying to get that strong man that usually towered over her to put his weight on her while she walked them over to the cabin.

What they must have looked like, had there been anyone to see them:

A tiny woman in thick winter clothes, wild brown curls escaping from under her beanie, while she had a much taller man's arm draped around her neck and dangling down so that she could hold onto it and her other arm wrapped around his side to try and keep him upright and get him to walk with her. His skin looked ghostly pale against her much warmer tone, but his hair was darker than the night.

Later, she'd have no actual recollection of how exactly they had made it into the small cabin, but they had. As soon as they stepped foot in it, his body slid out of her grasp and he slumped down on the floor. She could barely manage to soften the movement and have him stay seated against the wooden wall next to the door.

She sighed and gnawed on her lip. She felt a sob build inside of her. He couldn't die. He couldn't die now and leave her alone. Not when she'd finally allowed herself to start feeling something for him. To actually care about him.

She tried pulling him up, but he just stared at her, pleading wordlessly to stop.

"I can't get you up," she cried, losing all countenance. "I can't get you up…"

She finally slumped down right next to him, giving up, and allowed him to see her swimming eyes. He lifted an arm, the one he could lift, and gently wiped her cheek, sorrow in his face. She rested her head against his for a moment, the flu catching up with her, making all this even harder. She started coughing and excused herself.

The cough raked through her body, and left her weaker. "I'm sorry. I caught a bug…" she said offhandedly and rolled her eyes. When she saw his worried expression, she started laughing.

"You're worried about me," she stated, flustered. Flattered. "You're actually worried about me. While you sit here, looking worse than I've ever looked in my life - and I've died a few times, too, so…"

"I bet... you always… looked… gorgeous…" he muttered, a small smile on his features that looked so out of place that it was almost funny. If she hadn't been so worried about him…

She gave him a look. "Yeah. Right. Anyways." She coughed again, harder. "We need to do something about this." She pointed to his injury and he let his head drop. Then he patted the left side pocket of his jacket. She shot him a quizzical look as he took out a strange golden object and handed it to her.

It was a locket. She stared at it. Turned it over, looked at it. There was a sun embossed on its front, a half moon speared by something - rays of the sun perhaps? - on the back. She tried opening it, but the small lock mechanism didn't budge.

"Please tell me this is some secret cure for the bite of a werewolf," she said, only half joking. But when she looked back to him, his eyes were closed and his head had sunken down on his chest.

"Enzo?" She said, but she didn't expect a reply. She knew his body had finally given in to the looming unconsciousness, and deep down she was relieved. It was one thing to know someone had endured pain in the past. It was a whole different matter to actually witness that someone in pain…

She got up abruptly, jolting herself into action. Now was not the time for dark thoughts.

"I need to get something to take care of this... of you," she whispered affectionately, but of course he couldn't hear her, so she fell silent. She went on her way to the bathroom, hurriedly gathering whatever supplies she could find to treat and dress a wound like his.

Towels, latex gloves, antiseptic ointment, hydrogen peroxide's more potent - and more stinging - cousin, antiseptic bandages. It would have to do. She ran back to him, or rather stumbled, her own fever not helping at all. Then she struggled to get the gloves on. This was so not something she wanted to be doing.

Carefully she pulled his jacket away, then his shirt. She cut away part of it to get better access to the maimed flesh underneath. She shivered and closed her eyes briefly. Her fingers busied themselves dabbing here and there, but she really didn't know what she was doing and when she scrutinized some object in the wound, she wondered whether she would need to take it out. She literally gagged at the thought.

"Pull yourself together, Bonnie Bennett," she chided herself and straightened her shoulders, taking a deep breath. Then, very carefully, she touched the thing with two gloved fingers and tried to pull.

Without warning, Enzo jolted up as if he'd gotten shocked, yelling in pain, before he slumped back against the wall.

A loud panicked scream escaped Bonnie before she got herself back under control. She held a soothing hand against his chest. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, staring into his now wide open eyes.

"That's my bone, love," he drily stated, and she swallowed hard.

"Oh gosh, I'm… I'll just make it worse," she choked, "We need to get you to the Armory. I don't care if they lock me up, I can't have you die on me-"

"No," his voice was surprisingly vehement for a mere whisper. "No," he repeated, a little calmer, and she felt his hand on her arm. "They… don't care about me. What they… do… care about… is… the locket. It's…" he was out of breath, but desperate to get it all out before he'd pass out again. She tried to keep him from speaking but he shook his head, setting off his pain again and he had to collect himself. His breathing had picked up again. Too short, too shallow.

"Enzo, please try to stay calm-"

"Bonnie. There's… magic in this… locket. Powerful magic. It might… it belonged to a werewolf witch."

Bonnie raised her eyebrows. Now there were werewolf witches too? Geez. But she tried to concentrate on what he said. If the locket had belonged to a werewolf witch, did it really have magic properties of its own? Could it possibly help her heal Enzo?

He swallowed and stared at her. "Alex… really wanted this… and if I know anything, it's to not just give someone something they… so desperately want. Unless… they give you something… in return." His last word was just a breath, and Bonnie gently cupped his cheek.

"Okay," she said, smiling a little, but mostly frowning. "Okay. We'll… we will offer her the locket in return for the antidote," she said, but he shook his head again.

Stop it, she wanted to yell when she saw the pain that it caused him, but she caught herself and just used her hands instead to still his movement. Her face was suddenly only an inch or two away from his. His breath touched her lips, she was so close, like a warm caress. She shook her head, jolting herself back into the here and now.

"What then?" She wanted to know.

"Can't let her find you… can't… go anywhere, either," he gazed down at his body, defeated.

And then she finally understood. He was willing to die for her. He held everything he needed to get better in his hands, but he'd chosen to come here instead. To come here and die and protect her from the Armory.

Because if he let them take him in his current state, Alexandria would have an easy time getting her much needed information out of him.

So he'd fled.

He'd done all of this to protect her. And he was still doing it.

Why then even mention the locket?

Because he knew she was a witch. And even though currently unable to use her own magic, she could still use the magic of objects. Objects like the locket.

She just somehow had to try and learn what powers it held and how to express them… She rolled her eyes. Easier thought than done.

He'd wanted to protect her. He was willing to die for her. But she was not willing to accept that! He was not allowed to die. So she had to deal with the burden of trying to help him heal.

But first…

She still held his face in her hands, his gaze was on hers, his breath - so erratic but so alive - still warm against her lips.

She kissed him then, her lips gently grazing his.

Bonnie Bennett was kissing Lorenzo St. John. It was a salty kiss, coppery, first gentle, then harder. A feverish kiss, grateful before it became something else. Passionate.

Until she heard him hiss out again in pain and she knew it was time to stop. So she did, she pulled away abruptly, still staring at him, the sheen in his eyes betraying the passion by being so obviously from the fever that was eating him up alive, but she accepted that, too. Because she'd felt passion in his response to her kiss. She'd felt it in those places that the fever couldn't override…

"I'm not gonna let you die, Lorenzo St. John," she said fiercely. "You just hang in there."

And he smiled at her weakly in return.


	4. I love you

Bonnie hadn't been able to move Enzo, therefore he was still lying on the floor by the door, even hours later. She'd put a pillow under his head, and a light blanket over his burning body. With the rest of the blankets, she had built a fort around him, to keep the icy drafts from outsideat bay.

She'd forced him to have one of the bags of blood he kept stashed away in the freezer. Just a small supply because he never stayed too long when he was with her.

She'd also fought her own fever. Her cough had gotten worse. She camped out sitting huddled against the wall right next to where he slept an uneasy sleep drifting in and out of consciousness. She kept trying out spells that she found through online research. She was waiting for a reply from some Wiccan she'd found through a random site dealing with all kinds of supernatural trinkets.

The locket had helped in so far as Enzo was still alive and with her. He should have been dead by now and if she hadn't tried a couple of things she was sure he would have. He was still very close.

His barriers were down. She'd never seen him like that. So vulnerable… It pained her. It also made her even more sympathetic. Affectionate.

In love.

Bonnie Bennett had realized that she was in love. With a man on death's door…

 _The locket seems to have healing powers, yes. But only to a certain extent. A lot depends on the "subject" you're trying to heal. Their strength, their tolerance to pain and injury._

The message popped up and forced her to concentrate on other things.

"I tried the spell you gave me," she messaged in reply, "can I do anything else?" She didn't mention she'd tried it a couple of times…

The reply took only a few minutes this time. _Nothing else you can do. If they're strong, they'll make it. Good luck._

Bonnie was ready to start crying. But she forced herself to keep it in. She looked down to where he was lying and affectionately let her hand run through his hair. His face looked almost peaceful, and she marveled at how handsome he actually was. She'd never denied that he was good looking, not even back when she'd found him obnoxious at best and atrocious at worst, but this handsome? It was as if she'd just newly learned to see clearly.

She startled when she suddenly heard him mutter, "I may not get the chance to say this if I don't do it now…"

She felt the need to shush him, and she gently did. "It's alright," she soothed, "whatever it is, I'm sure it can wait."

His jaw muscles worked as he shook his head no. "You're an amazing woman, Bonnie Bennett. You need to hear it now," he sounded so urgent that it made her smile, "you're… fierce, strong... beautiful… and I love you."

His eyes were already closed again before he'd finished talking, he was that weak, but he'd needed to get those words out. He'd needed her to know.

Bonnie was stunned. For a moment, she was simply too overwhelmed to say anything in return. Her hand in his hair stilled, and tears started tracing down her cheeks.

There had been a time when pretty much all they'd said to each other was banter, snarky comments, jest, often harmless, sometimes aimed to hurt. But there had always been those odd moments of absolute clarity, honesty. She remembered those clearly, when he'd shocked her with his soul baring words, admitting things he'd probably kept from most everyone else.

Her face scrunched up. She looked at him for a long time, listened to him breathing. He'd already slipped back under.

"I love you, too, Enzo…" she eventually whispered, and she buried her face against his chest, almost embarrassed, even though she didn't know why, because there was no one to witness her.


	5. How it began, the story of Faelan

**Osraighe / Ireland, 12th century...**

When she first found him, he lay bruised and broken not far from the shed. It had been her job to go look why the sheep were so outraged so late at night, and then she saw him.

She kneeled down by his side, strangely attracted to him rather than scared of him. And she started crying. Because, surely, he was going to die. Some ferocious animal must have mauled him, it was his arm, his side that were gleaming with a reddish sheen of blood. He was so young still. Not much older than her. And her heart ached for him.

She simply couldn't leave him lying there. Somehow she managed to haul him into the shed, shushing the bleating sheep as she went. She did her best to dress his wounds with rows of fabric she tore from her underskirt. She gave him water from the trough. But he barely drank any.

During the next few days, she always went back to check on him, hiding food for him in the folds of her clothes and sneaking into the shed whenever she could.

A miracle happened. He healed up. Quickly. Soon, his strength had returned and he thanked her profusely before saying his goodbyes. She gave him a look, happiness, but also disappointment showing in her smile.

And then he kissed her, nothing chaste about it, just wild unadulterated passion, and she knew she was lost. She would never be the same again.

He was her life. But he also harbored a dark secret that broke out of him one terrible night of anguish.

Breaking bones and howls accompanied his garish transformation as she stood by, shocked and terrified, before he almost attacked her, until something stopped him at the last minute when their gazes briefly met.

The next time it happened, they were both more prepared. He loved the strength that came with his new nature, but he was horrified at the chance that he might accidentally hurt her. So she persuaded him to go see Ita, the hermit, and ask her for help.

At first Ita wasn't willing to welcome them or hear them out. But then she saw that spark between them, a fire burning that would burn forever more, and she grudgingly listened to their story and their worries and came up with a solution.

A failsafe of sorts. A locket forged from gold and silver, in a fire burning on the longest day of the year and that was kept burning until the next full moon rose in the sky.

It was not only that, but also what was put inside along with a potent spell that would make the locket Orlaith's most powerful ward against Fealan's untamed second nature.

A ward and an insurance. As long as she kept it with her, he would never be able to harm her, or turn her.

Once it was all done, Ita demanded to never be bothered by them again. And they gladly obeyed.

They were finally happy. They could live together without fear. She could sit by his side and soothe him while he battled with the pain of transformation, and she could be there when he came back to her a normal man, confused and sometimes sad his strength was diminished once more.

But then the people got suspicious. And the fear returned into their lives.

They set out to kill Fealan. And he killed many of them.

They learned about the locket. They laid into Orlaith to give it up. But she vehemently refused. She was pregnant by then and she wasn't ready to give up her family, Fealan, and the baby, they all needed the locket to make it work.

But they said that everyone should have the right to be protected by it. That she was selfish.

And maybe she was. But she wouldn't, couldn't give it up.

So hey came chasing after her, and she had to flee. The plan had been to leave with him, but the people were too many and too angry. He told her to run without him. That he would find her.

That he would protect her, even if it cost him his life.

He'd still love her forever. She would love _him_ forever.

Always.


	6. Beautiful Pain

When Enzo woke up, he found Bonnie cuddled up next to him, her head in the crook of his neck. Her hair was sprawled out in a halo around her, her hands little fists resting against him. She was cocooned in a thin blanket, and she was shivering. He noticed that she had used up all the other blankets for him and sighed, but with affection.

She felt hot against him and he remembered her talking about having caught the flu. He felt a sting. Poor Bonnie Bennett had done all this to try and help him, and she had fought her own sickness while doing so.

Some great gentleman material he was. He cringed inwardly, then tried to get up. It was not too late to remedy that, right?

He gently draped a thicker blanket around her, then picked her up off the ground and walked her over to the couch. He barely made it there before he felt ready to pass out again. He clenched his teeth against the sudden wave of nausea and vertigo and held on to the back of the couch for support.

It wasn't a very good start to taking care of her if she woke up to him laying sprawled out in his own vomit on the ground, was it? He better got it together, and quick.

At least he wasn't dead. Yet. Which meant that she had somehow managed to save him. He wouldn't have been able to even begin to describe his feelings at the thought.

He loved her, but somehow, even that didn't seem strong enough to express any of it.

She had been there for him. She had saved him, without there being any imminent use for her. She had saved him solely because… what?

Was this, then, what it felt like to have someone love you back? Just for you? He didn't even dare go there. Because he wasn't ready to deal with false hopes.

Suddenly he remembered a kiss. Had it really happened? The memory felt all too real…

Enzo bit down hard until the vertigo had passed. He needed to get Bonnie something to drink; himself too. And because he had no idea what day it even was, he was dead certain he'd need to give Alex a call.

So he went to get some water for the girl that he placed on the table, some blood for himself that he downed right away, and then slouched down in the sofa chair opposite a sleeping Bonnie, taking his phone out.

"The hell have you been?" Alexandria greeted him, and he stared at his legs on the coffee table, slumping down a little further on the sofa. His neck, his whole left side still hurt like a bitch, and he wasn't even sure he could use his voice properly, but he had to pretend all was well.

"I'm touched by your concern, 'cousin'," he said, eyes trained on Bonnie, willing her to wake up. He was so tired of dealing with people that never had anything nice to say.

"Where is the locket. You were supposed to bring it in four days ago."

Four days ago?! His eyebrows shot upward, annoyed.

"It proved to be a little… tougher than expected," he informed her, "You should have maybe clued me in on the fact that a werewolf carries your fancy talisman day and night. Then again, maybe you shouldn't have sent a vampire to retrieve a werewolf treasure to begin with." He was angry. She'd never given him what she'd promised. Instead he'd gotten the involvement in a shady "family" business and multiple injuries out of their "deal." But he knew he had to continue keeping up appearances because he couldn't let her find Bonnie. He needed to keep tabs on the Armory's every movement, and there was no better way to do that than to stay in Alex's good books.

"But," he therefore allowed, "I got it. And I'll bring it over soon. Just give me another two days or so." Absentmindedly, he touched his neck and flinched. He'd be nowhere near healed in two days. But he'd have to go. Maybe he could make it a quick deal and come back here for a bit of respite.

For Bonnie…

"Two days?" She sounded suspicious and annoyed. But he didn't back down.

"Two days."

She grumbled something. But in the end, she agreed. When he hung up on her, his neck was on fire again, and his head pounding.

But at least Bonnie was slowly waking up and sleepily trying to get her bearings. She was adorable when she was confused.

"Hello, love," he said, his head leaning against the back of the chair. He wanted to be there for her, offer her a tea, anything. But he could consider himself lucky if he managed to stay conscious.

Freaking werewolves.

"How did I…"

"Get on the couch?" He completed her question and smiled, lifting his chin a little. "I couldn't possibly leave you lying on the floor, now could I?"

He noticed her cheeks getting flushed and while he loved to see her a little embarrassed,she had no reason to, and he needed to make sure she knew. "It was not meant as a stab at you, Bonnie. I was perfectly fine on the floor. Besides, we both know I landed myself in that situation…"

She looked at him from under her long lashes as if to shield her gaze. She'd always been a bit of an open book to him in a way, her feelings often visible right underneath the surface. Even though she'd gotten better at guarding them. A development that made him strangely sad.

"You are heavy, Lorenzo St. John," she told him, and he could still hear a trace of discomfort and regret.

"Are you telling me that I'm too fat? That I should watch my diet and work out more?" he joked, and earned himself a glare.

That was better.

"I wanted to take care of you for a little bit, as a thank you," he let her know, suddenly serious again, "but turns out that I can't even get up off this chair…" he grimaced. "I promise I'll try again in a moment…"

She smiled. "You can't just accept help, can you? Always have to act strong and pay anyone back right away who somehow-"

"Well, I'm pretty sure I just accepted your help not too long ago…" he pointed to his injury, narrowing his eyes as if to gage her.

"Because you didn't have a choice."

"Because I didn't have a…" he trailed off, suddenly realizing what she'd meant. He raised his head a little, defyingly. She'd seen through him. "It may have started out as something different, but… I'm not ashamed to admit that you are all I have, Bonnie Bennett. And I can't let anything or anyone hurt you. Not even myself."

She looked at him intently. "So you'd rather die? You'd really rather die than-"

"Yes." It was that simple. They both stared at each other for a while, before he quietly added, "But I didn't, did I? Because of you…"

She got up. For a moment he was afraid she'd walk out on him, that he'd interpreted the situation wrong. But then she came closer to him, until she stood right in front of him.

She sat down. On his lap. His eyes on her. He swallowed.

"I'm not sure you heard me last night," she muttered, and her hands were suddenly on his chest, busying themselves outlining what lay under the fabric. He raised his eyebrows, a wordless question. She smiled down on him as she leaned forward till her lips touched his. "I love you, Enzo…"

And there was no injury too great, no throat too sore for what followed, the exploring tongues and fingers… The gentlest lovemaking, awkward yet sensual, with all their ailments in the way, but not too in the way to stop them.

No pain had ever been as beautiful.


	7. Of ice, and socks, and fire

All lights were on at the Armory, but the building was quiet and except for a growing collection of artifacts it was mostly deserted that late at night.

Alexandria St. John, though, was pacing the hallways, battling with herself as she so often did when sleep didn't want to come because Yvette's cries for help had disturbed her too much.

And as was usual on a night like that, Alex found herself drawn to the vault, listening to her sister, pulling, clawing at the heavy door in vain, because only the magic of a Bennett witch could open it.

She was so angry with Lorenzo. How could someone like him be related to her to begin with? How could he be the rightful heir to everything the Armory stood for, when he himself was a dangerous supernatural being?

She should have never approached this task the way she did. She knew that now.

She simply hadn't foreseen him taking the side of the witch, hiding her from Alex. She should have known he'd always just follow his own agenda.

"Alexandria… please…" she heard Yvette moan, and it made her arms break out in goosebumps.

"I'm here, sister. I'm here. It's almost done," she called out, touching the door so soothingly as if she could comfort her sister that way.

When Enzo brought her the locket, she'd sent him out on one last quest, and then she'd finally be able to get her sister back.

She'd lure him and his little friends into helping her to get Bonnie Bennett to open the vault for her. Rayna Cruz would see to that.

* * *

...

Bonnie and Enzo spent the next days laying down somewhere or other, recuperating, mostly with their limbs entangled, their fingers entwined, or tracing each other's bodies. It was an intimate time, sensual, passionate; it was cozy and reassuring, it felt… safe.

Had it not been for varying degrees of pain, it would have been perfect.

As it was, Bonnie's flu was slowly ebbing away, and Enzo's broken skin and bones were mending, looking a little less gruesome with every new day. They were both still not feeling exactly back to normal by the time the inevitable was more than just looming, and Enzo needed to go back to give Alexandria the locket, but at least they felt like they could manage.

He hadn't even noticed how torn up his shoulder still was, his neck, until he finally put some clothes back on after having spent two days mostly wearing nothing but a blanket… and a bandage.

It hurt to lift his arms up and try to pull the fabric of his shirt over his head and get his arms into the sleeves. He hissed in pain, then gritted his teeth to quickly force his left arm through the sleeve. The worst was over.

But it also hurt to bend down and put on some fresh boxers and a pair of pants. And gosh, did it hurt to try and put on some socks. He gave up on that last one, shaking his head. It simply wasn't worth it. He'd just have to wear his shoes without socks. Nobody would notice. Nobody would care.

"You're not seriously going without socks, Enzo."

He looked up with a grimace and a grin, using his hands and arms to get enough leverage to hoist himself up off the edge of the bed he'd sat on.

"As a matter of fact that's exactly what I am gonna do," he said and smiled at Bonnie.

With her arms on her hips in an exasperated stance and a pout on her lips, she looked overwhelmingly adorable.

With nothing on but her wide gray t-shirt that fell off one shoulder and allowed him a good view of the beginnings of her breasts, she looked hot.

He cocked his head, taking her in. "You're gorgeous, love. I already regret having to do this, but it's time to bring this piece of metal to my dear 'cousin'," he said the last word mockingly with a half roll of his eyes.

"And you were planning on doing that without socks," she noted with a glare.

He sighed. He'd hoped she'd let it go. "Not exactly 'planned', love, but yes, I was going to go without socks. Does it matter? I doubt the Armory will have a problem with me not wearing any. In fact, I doubt they'll even notice," he gave her a pointed look, "it's not like they care much about me to begin with, and they don't have a dress code in place that I'd need to adhere to, either. So," he got up and slowly walked over to her, gently pulling her close to him, "as reluctant as I am, this is goodbye for now. I'll miss you, Bonnie Bennett…"

She was looking up at him, she was a good bit shorter than he was, and he could tell that she was balancing on her tiptoes. Her frown still lined her forehead, but she gave him a kiss anyways, then pulled away from him a little.

He eyed her warily. If he was being honest with himself - which he tried to avoid, there was still a part of him that couldn't believe any of this was real. He knew what kind of person she was and that she wasn't one to play with people, then toss them away, but his soul was too scarred to allow him to let down his guard completely, even with her. He simply wasn't ready yet.

But all she did was lay a hand against his cheek and shake her head. "It's below freezing out there, Lorenzo St. John," she reminded him. "And I know you like to pretend you're strong and independent. But every once in a while it's really okay to accept some help, even if it's just with a stupid pair of socks."

He tried to grin, but grimaced. "You just can't let it go, can you?" He knocked against her head gently, but making a point nonetheless. "It's eating you up in there. That I didn't put socks on…"

She glared at him again and he laughed. He saw her frown dissolve and make room for a new expression, one he wasn't sure he'd seen before. It was his turn to frown, confused. "What?" he asked, feeling awkward. Like he hadn't caught on to something glaringly obvious.

Bonnie's free hand touched his neck carefully, very close to his injury, yet far enough away to not cause him additional pain. The light movement of her fingers was a soft caress that made him tingle.

"You have the most beautiful laugh, Enzo," she whispered, "I don't think I've ever heard you laugh like that before. From the heart," she told him, an awe in her eyes that made him feel slightly weird, and very much like the luckiest person in the whole world, "I hope I'll hear more of it…"

He smiled down on her, then kissed her, soft skin against soft skin.

"And now let me help you put these on already!" she suddenly commanded, pointing at the obnoxious socks and he threw his head back in a show of annoyance and defeat and said, "Alright. If it makes you feel better."

"It does," she smiled. "I can't stand the thought of your feet all cold and frozen while you're out there dealing with lockets and remote cousins and shady people."

She gave his hand a squeeze, reassuring, then got down on her knees. "Let's do it," she said, sock in hand, and he leaned forward suddenly, pulling her with him despite the screaming protests of his body and said, "I like it when you're bossy, so okay. One last time before I really have to go…"

She giggled only momentarily, before committing herself to something else entirely, taking off the clothes he'd so painfully put on just minutes before...

* * *

…

Hours later, he stood in front of Alex St. John, that woman that shared his last name and apparently some genetic material.

Yet again he couldn't shake a sudden feeling of utter disappointment at the thought that _she_ was supposed to be everything he'd so desperately been looking for: his family. He clenched his teeth, fighting those thoughts.

His bare feet were like ice in his shoes and reminded him of other things.

He closed his eyes briefly, trying to concentrate on Bonnie rather than on Alex; the memory of Bonnie's body moving lithely on top of his, making both of them forget everything around them, including their pain. Including his socks.

"Took you long enough," Alex was saying, jolting him back. He made a face at her. Her gaze was scrutinizing. He was quite certain that she'd already caught on to the fact that he'd gotten hurt during his hunt for the locket, and he could tell she was contemplating on how best to bring it up.

"Here," he tossed her the small object, which she caught easily, "there you have it. If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way now." He shot her a glance, then turned around on the spot, starting to swagger back to the door as if he had no care in the world.

"Wait," she called out. He stopped in his tracks without turning back around. He inclined his head the smallest bit to show her that he was listening, but no more.

"What happened out there? Did they get to you?"

"Who," he muttered, and it wasn't a question.

"You know who." She sounded annoyed, but he wanted her to acknowledge it, to say it. "The werewolves," she allowed, her voice quieter now.

He smiled to himself. "Just a scratch."

"That's it? Because if you got bitten, you'll need the antidote, you know that. Let's take a look and patch you up-"

He turned around abruptly, hands raised slightly. "I appreciate the concern, Alex," he spat her name out like a swear word, "but I'm fine. No thanks to you, might I add. Now let me be on my way. if you need me for another treasure hunt, you know how to reach me." He waved at her, a cocky gesture, and he saw her features scrunch up into an angry expression.

"I could lock you up, Enzo," she tried to threaten him, something dangerous flickering in her eyes, but he had dealt with too many power hungry people to be intimidated by it.

"I don't think so."

"Who helped you? Was it the werewolf witch?"

He grinned at her, but didn't grace her with a reply. She could fish in the dark for however long she wanted.

"It was the Bennett witch," Alex suddenly concluded and he had to give everything to not slip up now, no flinch, no wrong huff or scoff or too rash movement of his body, or flicker of his lids. And especially not a word. She'd be able to see through him if he so much as showed a single reaction. So he remained completely frozen.

Just like his feet.

He thought of ice. Snow. Cold… he remembered experiments long past. A time where he was forced to stand naked in a freezer, his blood freezing inside of him. And then… thawing.

"Alright. Go. I'll call you." Alexandria's words jolted him back from wherever he'd just gone. He blinked, nothing more, then finally walked out the door.

* * *

…

When he got back to the cabin, morning was already dawning. He knew he probably shouldn't have come back there so quickly, but he couldn't stay away. He had switched to another car, just to be on the safe side, a habit he'd gotten into to protect Bonnie, and he'd still made sure there were no bugs hidden.

She was probably still asleep and he didn't want to wake her up, therefore he briefly considered just waiting in the car till the day was a little older, but suddenly he noticed a small light come on inside and he sighed. He'd probably woken her up.

The door opened at the same time he got out of the car. He leaned against its door and looked at her.

She was an apparition. The light of the cabin gave her a halo, and even from a distance he could see the spark in her eyes, the sheen of her beautiful soft skin. He remembered what it felt like.

"You're early," she said, walking toward him.

"I'm late." He was by her side before she could take another breath. He swooped her up and carried her all the way back into the cabin.

"You forgot your socks after all," she mumbled between kisses and he shushed her. His hands were already wandering down her body, his mind busy with shedding clothes rather than putting them on.

He kissed her, nuzzled the soft skin on her neck, and he felt himself stiffen when she made the smallest moaning sound.

"You're so cold," she muttered, worry stealing itself into her voice, but he just murmured against her skin, "Not for much longer..."

Her cheeks flushed and she slung her legs around him. Like that they walked just a little closer to the fireplace where she let him have his way with her, let him trace his way down her body, his fingers, his lips, his tongue caressing her, until…

He found the perfect spot and he felt her moan and arch her back to meet him.

Soon after there was only heat, and sweat, and salty skin. And their writhing bodies shining in the fire.

…


	8. Fenris: The very first

In the before, he had walked the earth: Fenris. Wild and ferocious, terrifying to behold.

Great evil was supposed to be coming from him: he was foretold to feed on the flesh of the gods.

So they had bound him. And when the center of the world had shifted, they had taken him with them. He was never to be freed again.

He was thrown into a cage cut from stone, impossible to penetrate, and great spells were cast to ensure he'd never escape.

After, they built a house on top, a chapel. Piety their disguise and their insurance that whatever lay underneath would not threaten to come out again.

But his seed had already spread. When he had still roamed free, he had followed his nature, had ensured that his line would prevail.

Laignech Fáelad. Niklaus. Dolon. Vseslav. Kveldulf. Faelan. So many more… and their children, their children's children.

So it did. Though something was always missing without him there. They were less ferocious, less independent, more vulnerable, because he wasn't there to give them strength.

But while his body grew weaker, his mind grew stronger. If he couldn't get out on his own,

he'd have to lure someone inside to help him.

A few times it almost worked, though never quite completely.

But he could feel something change. He'd sunk his proverbial fangs into her mind. Soon, he'd sink them into her for real. Into all of them. He'd be free once again. He was so close.


	9. A cold panic

While her life was not exactly super exciting - she didn't get to see tons of new places and meet many new people - it had taken a surprising turn for the better. Something she had never believed could happen, had suddenly happened while she was stuck here in this cabin for most of the time.

She had found love. Bonnie Bennett was finally happy in a way she hadn't been for a very long time, maybe never before. Because Enzo loved her back with a passion and devotion she simply wasn't used to.

It made everything more tolerable: the hunt for Rayna's vampires, the loss of her magic, being away from her friends. It made dealing with the returned Damon easier, or with Alexandria and her crazy-pants sister.

It even made the prospect of her death less frightening.

Though when that didn't happen and she almost ended up killing Enzo instead because along with Rayna's last life she'd also gotten the huntress curse transferred to her, that may very well have been one of the worst days of her life.

She couldn't bear to lose him, especially not through any doing of her own.

But she hadn't killed him. At the last minute Damon had come through for her - for them, and had set the last Everlasting on fire, releasing her from her hunting duties, saving Enzo's life.

She still heard Damon's voice when they had talked on the phone later. How he'd suddenly called out Elena's name. She still felt what she had felt then, a cold panic that crept up inside of her, constricting her throat painfully.

Of course they had come over to get him out of there, to save him from whatever horrible thing was in there with him. The thing she had been forced to let out of the Armory's vault.

She choked on a sob.

Of course Enzo had not waited for her and her friends to come up with some sort of plan. He was a hothead without much patience, just like the man that had saved his girl. And just like usual, Enzo was not willing to just accept it, he had to "repay a perceived debt," and he had to help his friend in need.

And now she was alone while they were both in there. Her best friend and the love of her life. With a dangerous villain that none of them knew anything about, other than that it was deceiving and deadly.

"Bonnie, let's go. Please." Caroline's quiet voice barely got through to her. She was exhausted, mentally and physically, from trying to get into the stupid Armory. Why did they have to close the freaking door?

Why? Why was any of this happening. She was supposed to finally have her happily ever after!

* * *

…

When they finally managed to get the door open, the vault was empty, as if nothing had ever been in there. Except for the strange long lines that marked almost all of the stone the vault had been cut from.

Regardless, she called out to them, their names leaving a desperate feeling inside of her. "Damon!" she yelled, the name echoed by Stefan's similarly anguished cry.

Then she called out Enzo's name, and the silence she was met with was so vast that it made her shiver. A wail broke out of her then and she fell to the floor. "No…"

But she would never give up looking for them. For him. She couldn't. Even if it took an eternity, she'd find him.

* * *

…

It didn't take an eternity till they heard from them. Till they heard from it…

A monster had been spotted not far from the Armory. Then all over Virginia. Then elsewhere. It seemed to be everywhere, and unstoppable. Descriptions varied from a small houndlike creature to a beast as big as a house. Some spoke of a fur covered demon, others said it was the devil with horns and hooves, and still others distinctly recalled a simple man that suddenly opened his mouth to show a set of terrible teeth and who then went on to devour another man whole.

But they all said that evil wasn't traveling alone, that it was accompanied by two dark companions in the shape of ordinary men.

And while it filled her with dread to think of them both being trapped with the thing, it also gave her a glimmer of hope.


	10. The monster in the vault

When she had entered the vault to find her sister, hope had soon made way for despair. Yvette had been long dead, and the evil that had been trapped down there suddenly made its move and pulled her people into the darkness, into oblivion.

She had been so terrified. She'd pleaded with Bonnie to let them all out again, but of course it had been to no avail.

When the monster eventually sank its teeth into her skin, her flesh, it had almost felt relieving. It would all be over soon.

She was still holding the locket, the talisman she had been told would save her from whatever loomed inside the darkness, and she chuckled unhappily to herself. So much for that, she thought, but then the beast stopped for a moment and she briefly saw a humanoid form flicker under his features before the locket got pulled from her grasp and fell with a harsh sound to the ground, into the darkness and she got devoured by blackness.

* * *

…

When Enzo walked into the eerily quiet vault on his way to find Damon, a horrible sense of foreboding accompanying him, he stumbled over the object glittering in what little light illumined the darkness down there. He picked it up reflexively, weighing it in his hand for a moment before putting it in the pocket of his jacket.

Then he went on to look for Damon.

"Damon?" He called out his friend's name as he walked deeper into the Vault.

When he found him, Damon greeted him with a brief question. "Just you?"

"I snuck off," he explained, sensing that something was horribly off, "Didn't feel like playing scissors, paper, stone over who was going to save your life."

"That's very heroic of you," Damon said, and something about the way he said it sounded almost like a warning.

They exchanged a look before Enzo automatically continued, "I don't leave people behind. Not my style. Plus, my girl seems to think that you're her best friend. And, uh…" he chuckled, more nervous and guarded than anything, "from what I can tell, heroes always do right by their girl."

Damon jerked his head in the direction of the exit, wordlessly begging him to leave. "Then I should warn you," he said, matter-of-factly, his words and his gestures not matching, "it doesn't always work out so great."

Enzo raised his eyebrows, and clenched his jaw briefly as he felt a coldness seep into his body from behind. "Had a feeling," he allowed.

He heard a sound, whispers? Growls? His friend's imploring stare still on him, he sped toward him and grabbed his arm. "Go," he hissed, but Damon was strangely frozen.

But it was then that he realized that Damon simply couldn't move. Something held him in place. "Run," Damon suddenly mouthed, but before Enzo had a chance to make a decision on whether he should and could leave his friend behind after all, he got sucked away as an all encompassing pain rendered him unconscious.

* * *

...

 _Thoughts? :)_


	11. A trip to New Orleans

_Thanks Jade for all the awesome feedback, and thanks also to jannay, Juno, and kpmindc, you guys are awesome. You made me feel a little less stupid about posting this strange story. This, then, is for you._

* * *

...

When Damon had finished setting the last Everlasting on fire down in the vault, he'd talked to his best friend on the phone briefly. He'd felt a deep contentment at hearing the relief in her voice, at hearing he'd been quick enough to save Enzo, and with that, her.

But then he'd suddenly heard something else, a deep sound, dark and resonating, like a guttural growl, and while his head had told him to run for the hills, something else, a nameless pull, had lured him deeper into the vault until he'd felt a tremendous and painful grip that had swept him into the dark, Elena's name the last word he spoke.

Upon emerging back to consciousness, he'd seen what he'd thought to be a hallucination at first: a ghastly looking beast, an out-of-proportion werewolf, it seemed, with the darkest black fur, but scraggly in places and a flaky grayish dead skin poking through in many places. The snout had been so ginormous the beast should have been able to swallow him whole.

So why hadn't it?

Damon had found himself lying on the floor and slowly lifted himself into a more sitting position by pushing his arms up. He cocked his head.

"You're not a wolf," a voice so deep he could barely make out the words told him, and he couldn't help flinching. "What are you?"

"What am _I_?" he scoffed, disbelieving, but backed away when a low growl reverberated through the vault.

"I saw your teeth, your… face; you're not human, either."

Damon absently touched the skin underneath his eyes and realized that his veins were poking out, that his vampire side had been triggered. He wiped a hand over his mouth and it came away slightly sticky with a crimson fluid. Blood, and not his. He tried not to think about what that had to mean and focused on the big bad in the room.

"You've been in here a hell of a long time, haven't you?" he casually asked, and was met with a grumbling noise that almost sounded… like a laugh?

"You are funny," the deep voice growled out. "I like that."

Damon squinted, trying to make sense of the beast. "I'm a vampire," he went on explaining in a tone as if he was merely chatting with an old friend. "You should probably know that, uh, your kind and my kind don't generally get along. I mean, you're some type of werewolf, aren't you? Not that you've shown me the courtesy of introducing yourself before doing to me whatever it is you have done..."

"I like you," the thing said, startling Damon. "But do not be disrespectful. I won't tolerate that. You are bound to me by blood now. Your life is mine. I'm finally free to roam this earth again and I'm ready to wreak havoc on it for what has been done to me. I will lead my kin to war," Damon tried to remain calm and not show a reaction when the wolf looked at him, gauging, before continuing matter-of-factly, "but first: I will need to regain my strength. And you will help me with that."

Damon's features were slack, not showing what was going on inside his head when he asked, "And why would I do that? Just because you gave me a sip of your blood? Yeah, no thank you, I think I'll pass and-"

The wolf grinned at him, "The blood created a link, vampire. Your mind and mine are connected now. And I can simply *make* you do what I want."

His big eyes started glowing menacingly and Damon felt a sudden wave of despair wash over him as strange foreign images flickered through his mind, before it zoomed in on Elena's coffin, and he saw a pack of wolves hurl themselves at it.

He knew then that this was not going to be easy, but before he could wonder any more about what that might mean for the integrity of his thoughts, he heard Enzo's voice call out to him, and the feral being's fur started bristling.

"Snacktime," the wolf said as he slowly moved his massive body forward in a crouch, and Damon blurted out a quick, "Wait!" He didn't even know where it had come from.

The beast glared at him out of his wolfish eyes, a threat, but Damon lifted his hands as a show of surrender and said, "I think I know who this is, and I think you'll do better recruiting him the way you recruited me instead of… uh, eating him. He's a vampire, just like me, and together, we can bring you all the snacks you want."

For a moment he thought the wolf would just ignore him and he'd have to watch him tearing out Enzo's entrails, but suddenly a shiver went through the beast's muscles and a low growl droned out all of Damon's thoughts before he heard him say, "Alright. But if you're trying to trick me-"

"I don't think I could if I wanted," Damon said quickly, and it was the truth. For the time being, he was all out of tricks up his sleeve. He'd have to wait for Stefan to come through for him. Once again.

Just one more time, Stefan. One more time...

* * *

 **Two months later...**

"Ugh. This is so frustrating!" Caroline's hands flew up in a gesture of defeat before she pushed the book in front of her far away. She was simply not made for this: researching in old books.

Give her an actual task - find the best flower shop, find a place that makes the prettiest invitations for the best price - and she was on it and completed it in no time. But this? Fishing in the dark, looking for a lead on something they knew nothing about? It was just not for her.

To top it all off, the girls were growing stir crazy and were playing with their siphoning abilities every chance they got so no artifact in the Armory was safe from them. Like right now.

"Josie! Don't use magic to do your sister's hair! Please!" She yelled and was met with her daughter's sheepish stare. But the girl stopped what she had been doing, patted her sister on the head gently and continued drawing as if nothing had happened. Caroline let out a sigh.

The Armory… It had turned into their second home. They all spent so much time in there, their heads in the books, or walking through the now deserted vault to find a trace that might lead them on the right path.

She looked over to where Stefan and Bonnie both stared at the screen of a laptop while Alaric pointed a finger from behind.

"Read that?" He was saying, "'Increase of animal attacks believed to be linked to rising wolf population…' I'm definitely thinking werewolves now. I mean, come on. That can't be coincidence anymore."

Caroline got up to join them. She frowned at her friends. There were dark shadows under Stefan's and Bonnie's eyes. She knew that neither of them slept very well, or ate very well, or took care of themselves very well. She bit her lip, worried. This needed to end, the sooner the better. But how, if they didn't seem to be able to glean any helpful information about Damon's and Enzo's whereabouts. Whenever they thought they had a lead, a location, the two were already gone by the time they got there.

Suddenly, Stefan looked directly at her. "We'll have to make a trip to New Orleans," he announced, and Caroline's mouth fell open.

"What? But…"

He sounded determined, "Klaus must know something about all this. I mean, look at the scale of it. There's new reports almost daily. And it's getting worse. If this is really werewolves, then it'll be linked to him somehow."

Caroline looked from him to Bonnie, whose now usually empty stare suddenly seemed to hold a flicker of fight again. "I…" she exchanged a glance with Alaric, who shrugged his shoulders, uncertain, "Okay. If you guys think he'll be willing to help-" she said, but Stefan interrupted her.

"That's why you're coming," he explained, "I doubt Klaus Mikaelson will be willing to do anything unless it somehow helps him as well."

"Now you're being unfair," Caroline pouted, realizing that she still automatically defended him.

Stefan made a face at her. "Anyways," he said, staring at her pointedly, "you can probably best persuade him to help us."

She nodded, hiding her annoyance. Stefan hadn't exactly been treating her too kindly ever since the vault incident. She knew it was mostly just the stress and worry, but that didn't make her feel much better.

"When are we leaving?" she asked, her hands against her hips, forcing herself to sound chipper, though facing Klaus again sent shivers down her spine. Was she really not completely over him yet?

"Tomorrow," Stefan said, and she felt her fake smile freeze as she nodded to him.

"Okay…"

* * *

...

He found that things had changed profoundly. Many of his children were dead, their descendants unaware of his existence and lacking the deserved respect. He snarled at the thought as he paced the halls of the old church he'd chosen as his home for the next few days. There was something about the place he thought was strangely endearing. Maybe it was the stony facade that reminded him of the vault, or - he sniffed - the smell of something old and moldy in the air.

Either way, he'd be comfortable enough in there for a while, with his two helpers taking care of the food situation till he'd regained some more of his strength.

It was strange, he thought, those creatures were so similar to his own kind, yet so different. He'd learned with curiosity that apparently there was a feud going on between the two. Vampires against werewolves.

The chattier of the two had filled him in rather eagerly, while his gloomy companion had stared daggers at them both.

"Nothing that should concern you," the one he now knew as Damon had told him, "just a little… 'mishap' caused by a witch by the name of Esther Mikaelson. She created the Original vampires out of her husband and children and, well, turns out that her little act of adultery with one of your kind made her crazy-ass husband a little… crazier and he killed the wolf's entire family. The rest is history. Vampires and werewolves haven't been friends ever since."

The kid had winked at him, pretending like he didn't have a care in the world, but Fenris knew better. It had been so easy to bind the two to him, to link their minds to his, force them into servitude.

It was always about love. Everything stemmed from it, even hate, and war. At least that part hadn't changed.

He'd needed them to get him out. He'd need them for a while longer. He was still so very weak - no wonder after centuries of incarceration - and he still had trouble shifting between his true form and the guise. Briefly he'd considered killing them and having some of his own offspring help him, but there was an advantage to the vampires that he couldn't just give up.

He had the power to kill them. Easily, painfully. Of course he could do that to any living being.

But he also had the power to get in their heads, something he couldn't do to a wolf. Wolves were simply a little too… close to him.

So he'd developed a plan, a plan that involved all of the vampires. He could make great use out of them. He could build an army for his protection, an army that would also ensure that his wolves could thrive once again. He'd unite the two species and together, they'd end this world ruled by humans.

It would be glorious.

Except...

There was something going on that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Something about the darker of the two vampires. His mind evaded Fenris more and more. He got glimpses of a girl sometimes, too briefly, though, to clearly see, to make more than a blind threat. And while it was easy for him to torture them both with just the power of his mind, and to compel them into doing his bidding, it seemed to him that the one of them just always seemed a little… off.

He'd walk around them both when they slept the sleep of the exhausted; he'd sniff at them. He'd get real close with his long fangs and graze their skin.

Damon would always stir uneasily, sometimes wake up and give him a guarded stare, but the other remained eerily calm.

The most concerning part, however, was the fact that it tingled his teeth at times when he touched the darker vampire's skin.

* * *

...

New Orleans was hot and humid and bustling with life. They couldn't have chosen a better - or worse, Caroline briefly thought - time to go there. Klaus had returned to the city a while ago, though she knew nothing about what exactly had happened, and she just hoped there was still some of his sweeter side left in him.

They waited at the bar for him, Stefan, Caroline, and Bonnie, who hadn't backed down on her wish to join them on their journey.

"It could be dangerous. It's different there, the witches there-" Stefan had tried to argue, but Bonnie had glared at him and taken a stance.

"Damon may be your brother, Stefan, but he is also my friend. And Enzo… he's my life! I will not just stay behind while you try to play the hero all by yourself."

Caroline had found herself smiling at Bonnie's vehemence. It had been so good to see some spark of life back in her friend.

Needless to say, Stefan had just huffed out in protest one last time before giving in. And now here they were.

Caroline was swiveling in her barstool, nervously sipping soda from a glass, and trying to keep up a little chat with her two awfully quiet friends, when she suddenly heard his voice from behind her. For a moment, she was too anxious to turn around.

"Stefan. Caroline… and why would the two of you be coming all the way from lovely Mystic Falls just when shit is starting to hit the fan all across the country? Dare I say it's not a mere coincidence?" She could sense the smirk on his face without seeing it.

"Klaus," Stefan said. He'd turned around and was lifting his half empty glass of bourbon to salute the other man, but Caroline still sat frozen.

"Let me guess. Family business. Has Damon royally fucked up again? I keep telling you, Stefan, our family's will be our downfall…," she felt his presence as he suddenly shoved himself between her and the younger Salvatore, his back to her, ignoring her just as she had ignored him, yet making a statement when he tensed his shoulders and backed into her the tiniest bit.

"Excuse me," she finally said exasperatedly, anxiety making room for annoyance. "Care to give me some room here?"

"Have I ruffled your feathers, love? I'm heartbroken." Klaus had turned around to face her in a swift movement and was now smiling at her widely, before taking her hand and placing a kiss just above it. "You haven't changed a bit." He beamed.

Stefan looked uncomfortably from her to Klaus. She expected him to say something, to mention their demise, but he seemed rather frozen and she sighed resignedly. It would be on her to bring it all up, wouldn't it?

Before she could say anything, she heard Bonnie's clear voice beside her, and she saw interest cross Klaus' features at her friend's presence.

"We haven't come here to exchange pleasantries."

"Bonnie Bennett. Well, who'd have thought I'd ever see you here, in my beautiful-"

She waved a hand and didn't wait for him to finish his little speech. "I don't have time for this. We don't have time. So, let's pretend we've all caught up on past times and oh-ed and ah-ed at the right moments and get on to why we are really here."

"And why would that be, love?" Klaus inquired, and Caroline noticed that he was still holding her hand absently. She couldn't stop staring at his fingers around hers. But then she pulled herself together, extracted her hand from his grasp and said, "I'm sure you've heard. Damon is missing, and with him a dear friend of ours," she looked to Bonnie, who pressed her lips together, fighting her emotions. "We want them back."

"And how do I factor in to that?" He looked positively amused, and maybe a little intrigued. He leaned against the bar, casually waving the bartender over to order a drink. "A round of bourbon for me and my… old friends," he said, then waited to be filled in.

Stefan cleared his throat, but Caroline gave him a look and a shake of the head before she continued, "I'm not sure you've heard of the Armory, it's a place where lots of supernatural artifacts and stuff are collected and kept. Anyways."

"The St. John family," Klaus acknowledged and rolled his eyes, his recognition of the name surprising Caroline and Bonnie both, "of course… Go on."

Caroline felt Bonnie's hand on her arm, sensed her rising tension.

"Well," Caroline's voice wavered ever so slightly. It was hard to concentrate when his eyes were on her like that. "Turns out they had something dark hiding in their vault and… we may have kinda released it? Damon, that is, after Damon had saved Bonnie's and Enzo's life by-"

Before she could burst into a full blown ramble, Klaus silenced her with an abrupt clang of his glass as it hit the bar counter. She saw him swallow, saw the anger rise in him.

"You… opened the vault," he stated, his voice a cold whisper, and she felt her mouth open, then close. Unsure of what to say she looked to Stefan for help.

"We had to. Rayna Cruz-"

"Don't mention that name again," Klaus interrupted him. "And don't tell me she or anyone else _made_ you open that freaking vault, Ripper."

Stefan visibly flinched at the nickname. His mouth worked as he chewed on his lip for a moment to calm his anger. "Whatever, Klaus. The damage is done. And whatever was in there took Damon, it took Enzo. And if I know one thing, then it's that you more than anyone understands how complicated family can be, and how you do _everything_ to save them. So, yes, I'm here to ask for your help. - Please."

"You must be out of your goddamn minds! You don't even understand what you did! I should have just killed you all when I had the chance," Klaus hissed with as much contempt as he could muster. He was bristling with anger.

Stefan just got up off his chair and placed himself directly in front of his former friend and opponent. "If not for us, do it for yourself. That thing in the vault, I'm pretty sure it has something to do with your… lineage. And it's gotta be very old, and powerful…"

Klaus glared at him, but eventually there was only a tiredness left in him that overrode any other expression.

"I can't help you, my friend," he sighed, sounding so defeated that it scared Caroline. "The only tip I got for you is, run. As far away as you can. You don't want to know what you released, but I'll tell you anyway: You have brought on the beginning of ragnarök, the end of the world. You have set free the Fenris wolf, father to all wolves, and soon all hell will break loose."

With one big gulp he downed the rest of his drink, leaned in to Caroline until she felt his bourbon-y breath against her neck, and whispered, "At least I got to see you one last time, Caroline. Excuse me, I'll have to go get my daughter and my family and I'll be out of here. You should do the same."

They gazed into each other's eyes for a long moment before he broke free from her.

"The Fenris wolf? Like, the one from Norse mythology?" Bonnie was saying somewhere to Caroline's side, but she couldn't concentrate on that, on anything. She could only watch as Klaus slowly made his way out of the bar, turning around one last time, walking backwards as he did, and addressing Bonnie, "That's the one, love. I'm afraid your beau is lost, but it won't hurt for long, because we are all pretty much dead already."

"Klaus! Please, there's gotta be-" Caroline started, but she was lost for words. The handsome Original just gave her a last sad smile.

"Farewell, sweet Caroline. Maybe in the next life we can finally be epic together…" and with that he turned around once more and sped off without so much as a second look in their direction, leaving them in shocked silence.

* * *

…

When Enzo woke up from a troubled sleep in which he'd found himself back at the cabin with Bonnie, his back was stiff from lying on the cold church floor for too long. Slowly he rose to stand and was greeted by an already awake Damon, who was cheerfully waving over to him. His friend sat perched on the altar, his legs dangling and a brass cup in his grip, sipping from it every so often.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," he said with the air of someone who didn't have a care in the world, but of course Enzo knew better.

He raised an eyebrow when his gaze fell on the cup. "Earned yourself a snack?" he asked, nodding his head at it as he swaggered over to where Damon was sitting.

"I _earned_ much more than that, but hey, this is all I got, and I'm not complaining since at least it's more than you have gotten in the last five days combined."

Enzo grimaced at that truth. The wolf kept them on a short leash.

Damon cocked his head, taking the other man in. What he saw didn't exactly look promising. He knew what a slowly starving vampire looked like, and he most certainly knew what a starving Enzo looked like.

"You don't look so great, 'mate,' want a sip?" He pretended to sound casual, and Enzo quickly scanned the building before shooting a glare at him.

"Relax. He's not here."

"That doesn't mean he won't notice if you shared what you weren't supposed to. Because he never lets you do that."

Damon sighed. He understood Enzo, he really did. The guy was holding onto his former self, and he was trying to stay out of trouble so that Fenris wouldn't try to poke his mind and glean more information on Bon. Damon was all for it. He didn't want her - or Elena and Stefan, or really any of their friends - in danger, either. But Enzo was being stupid when he didn't take a drink when it was offered. They needed to stay strong. They needed to try and get a way out of their situation - or at least hold out till hero Stefan came riding in with the cavalry to save them all.

"Come _on_ ," Damon therefore cajoled, swinging the cup back and forth in his outstretched hand as an offering, "Bon Bon will kill me personally if I let you die the death of a martyr."

Enzo suddenly sped over to him and wrapped his hands around his neck, tightly. Damon made a choking sound.

"Do not say her name!" he gritted out between clenched teeth, and Damon held his hands up in surrender as the grip around his neck loosened and Enzo let him go.

"Geez Louise, take it easy. I told you he's not ho-"

"Are you seriously this stupid, Damon? After everything? After spending two months with him?"

"I-"

"Don't answer that," Enzo interrupted, annoyed and defeated, before Damon had the chance to say anything. He'd hopped off the altar and was facing Enzo, each of them invading the personal space of the other.

Damon shoved the cup at him, its brim cutting uncomfortably into his friend's chest. "Drink, goddammit," he hissed, "We can't afford for you to lose all your strength."

"We also can't afford for you to get killed because you weren't freaking listening to his orders."

They glared at each other, a standoff of sorts, neither of them willing to back down until Damon said the magic words. "If your body is weak, your mind may follow, my friend. You know what that means…"

And finally Enzo reluctantly took the proffered drink and took a big sip.

"Much better," Damon half sang, then walked past him toward the door. "He will need more… nourishing snacks of his own when he gets back," he said in a non-sequitur and grimaced, "I told him we'd be on it. Oh, and, put a jacket on, it's gotten colder."

With that they both exited the old building and were off to do their task: rounding up another ten or twenty people for the wolf's insatiable hunger… He was eating them, skin and bones, and it was getting horribly tiring.

* * *

...

Faelan had lived his life in hiding, he'd watched over them from afar. But then the world changed again and he realized he couldn't stay out of it anymore.

The stranger had assaulted his kin and had taken the locket. Faelan had had to get it back. So he had sprung out of the forests where he hid when the full moon was at its brightest, and he'd torn into the man. His teeth had tingled uncomfortably, he was sure it was because of the locket, but since the man had not been wearing it around his neck, he had still been vulnerable to Faelan's bite.

He'd made a mistake then, he'd tried to bite where the locket was, he'd tried to get to it, get it back, and the talisman hadn't allowed it.

Even now, he was still confused by that. It simply couldn't be… The locket had been manufactured to protect his family, and his family only. There was a lock of her hair in it, and a strand of his fur. The townspeople hadn't known this, of course, and hadn't listened when Orlaith had tried to explain, all those years ago, that the locket would never be protection for anyone other than her - and his - blood.

But all that didn't matter anymore. What mattered was that the talisman seemed to think the stranger was worthy of its protection. Which could only mean one thing:

He was, somehow, related to Faelan and Orlaith.

But how was that possible?

* * *

...

 _I know, no Bonenzo. But we are not gonna keep them apart super long, in case anyone was worried. :)_


	12. The stars above

_Thanks so much, Jade. This one is for you! Also thanks to blueice. I know you're reading, and I appreciate it._

 _Sorry about the pace of this one. I'm not quite satisfied with how this turned out, but I can't seem to make it sound better at the moment..._

* * *

The smacking noises were so loud they could make stomachs turn, and Damon was glad for the dim light that saved him from having to see too much detail.

Fenris was making a gore fest out of his latest meal as Enzo and Damon stood awkwardly to the side averting their gazes. They had come to notice that the only time they could speak semi freely was when the great beast was preoccupied with food, so they hung back as far as they could without making him suspicious and started talking in a low tone.

"Still nothing?" Enzo asked, and Damon shrugged.

"Tried to be as lax as possible about… 'cleaning up' last night," he said, "I'm hoping hero and the witch will get the clue we left for them." Damon casually let his arms drop to the sides for Enzo to see that he was holding the necklace with the locket between his fingers.

Enzo had given it to him the night before, when Fenris had been out hunting on his own for the first time since he'd escaped the vault, and they'd made a plan to brandish the symbol on the remains of the victims they were meant to bury in hopes that their family and friends might see it and know where to look for them. But also, they'd hoped to clue them in on the fact that the monster from the vault was a wolf.

"We'll just have to ensure that they do find the symbol, then. Easy as pie," Damon had chirped the day before, as if this was a simple task.

Enzo had given him a look. "I wish I had your confidence."

"If I gave up so easily, I wouldn't be here anymore, Moody. If I learned anything from desiccating and incurring witchy girl's wrath, it's that giving up doesn't get me anywhere other than into an even tighter spot. I mean, look where that got me. I had to make it up to her by cleaning up your Rayna mess," Enzo glared at him and Damon shrugged innocently, "And that, my friend, is what landed me - and you - here. Because if it hadn't been for me, you'd have ended like _that_ ," he pointed to the bloody remains of a few of the wolf's victims and swallowed hard.

Enzo clenched his jaw at the memory, then refocused on the here and now.

They were hoping against hope that Bonnie and Stefan were fast enough to find the stupid little locket's motive on some dead bodies and put two and two together; that they would come to Damon's and his aid in defeating the big bad wolf. It sounded even worse in his head, and he forced himself to blank out any other thoughts.

"Alright," Damon was just saying, "Freaking über-wolf is almost done, and I have a feeling he won't want to sleep in the 'crumbs' he left."

Enzo gave a sigh and a nod before he reluctantly followed Damon outside to get the brooms and the buckets. He was so done with this new life of his. He wanted his girl back, he wanted the wolf gone, he wanted peace once more.

Most of his life had just been spent in torment, in pain and despair. He would have probably been able to handle his current situation better if he hadn't ever had that taste of a better, a _great_ life with her. Still, he didn't regret a second of it.

He closed his eyes briefly to clear his mind. Even though he always carefully avoided thinking her name, he was still worried the wolf might somehow invade his mind and get to her.

For now, though, time to do some cleaning.

* * *

…

Lucky for them, Stefan and Bonnie and the others had indeed been close on their trail and had found the imprint of the locket on the pile of flesh and bones they had encountered on their gruesome trip from one "animal attack" related crime site to the next.

It hadn't taken Bonnie long to explain that she'd seen the symbol before, on a locket that Alexandria St. John had sent Enzo out to get; and in her mind something clicked at the memory.

It had been a werewolf witch's talisman. It had helped heal Enzo from a bite. Alexandria had wanted it for her collection.

And now Klaus had told them that the Fenris wolf was walking the earth.

"I'm… Bonnie, all I can find is the usual myth of Fenris which says that when he'll be roaming the earth again, Ragnarök is upon us," Alaric was just telling her over the phone while she was pacing around nervously. He had remained behind with his girls, doing research at the Armory while she and the others were on their road trip trying to follow Enzo and Damon.

"He will be feeding off of Odin's flesh," Ric continued, "there'll be three winters in a row, and lots of battles, and… well, you know, 'it's the end of the world as we know it,'" he couldn't help but quote, "but after everything is done, a new world will rise once more," he sighed tiredly after completing his brief summary, and Bonnie knew why. It seemed to be nothing but a story. And yet…

"It's a legend," he said, "It's… there might be some kernel of truth hidden in there, of course, as is usually the case with myths and legends, but it's hard to know what exactly Fenris' release from his prison could really mean."

Bonnie had listened to him carefully. "I know this sounds crazy, Alaric, but that locket I mentioned, it seems to be linked directly to some werewolves, and now it's back with Enzo. It's gotta be them. It's their way of trying to tell us we are on the right path. And that we are dealing with wolves, just as we suspected. Otherwise they could have used anything," she knew she sounded desperate, and she grimaced. Was she even making sense?

"I believe what Klaus said about the… 'thing' being the Fenris wolf - and not just because I want to believe it. He seemed pretty shaken, actually. You know him. He isn't one to scare easily," Bonnie wiped her forehead absently as she was trying to process all their findings. "I don't know, but I'm willing to follow the smallest lead to find them. We are so close. Stefan says the bodies can't be older than maybe 24 hours. They were just here! And…"

"I get that, Bonnie," Alaric's voice was soft and understanding, "listen, I'll have my new intern Georgie look more into the locket. Maybe she and I can even drive out to that town you mentioned…"

Bonnie exhaled. She stopped walking around for a moment and nodded, a reflexive gesture, because of course Alaric couldn't see her. She was so grateful that he was willing to do that. They needed to know more about the locket. They needed to know why it had been of interest to Alexandria in the first place.

They needed to know what kind of powers it really held. And maybe that knowledge could then help them defeat the wolf.

Or she was just getting a little too focused on the wrong things. "I may be way off here," she admitted, "but with what I've seen the locket do in the past, I just have a feeling there's more to it."

"You said it helped heal Enzo from a… uh, werewolf bite before?"

"Uh huh, ya." She briefly recounted the events that had led to them ending up with the locket and she heard Alaric make notes as she went before he finally said, "Okay, I'll see what we can find out."

"Thank you, Ric. I really… thank you." Bonnie was lost for words, she was just so desperate, and exhausted. This needed to lead somewhere. And soon.

"Damon's my best friend, too, Bonnie," she heard him say and noticed the awkward pause when Ric was probably realizing that he didn't really have much to say about Enzo. She almost laughed.

Enzo was hers. Hers to love and hers to worry about.

Though he had at least one friend besides Damon that also worried about him: Caroline.

Bonnie was grateful that Care was there, too, and that she was showing actual concern for Enzo. None of the others really did, and it pained her to see that they mostly worried about Damon and about her…

She let her head droop a little, and closed her eyes. She had been quiet for too long, Alaric was calling her name for the second or third time already.

"Ya, sorry," she quickly said, "I was… I know. We will get him back. We will get - _them_ back. It can't be long now."

They finally ended their conversation and Bonnie walked over to where Stefan and Caroline still stood by the pyre they had built for the bodies, waiting to start the fire.

"It's not gonna be pretty," Stefan told her, as if what she saw now was, but she nodded anyway. She didn't need to see this, and she most certainly didn't need to smell it.

"I'll be waiting in the car, trying to work on that locator spell again," she informed him and walked off, exchanging a glance with Caroline.

* * *

…

Later, in the car, they were all rather quiet. They knew they were so much closer, yet they still didn't know where to go. The locator spell wasn't working, though Bonnie suddenly had an idea.

"Maybe Ric can find the werewolf witch and persuade her to help us. Maybe we can, I don't know, find a working locator spell together - she and I, that'll locate the locket rather than Enzo or Damon."

She saw her friend's frown, thinking her words over.

"You think that could work?" Stefan asked, and she saw hope rekindle in his eyes.

"Yeah, actually. The… Fenris wolf, he seems to have blocked their minds from me or something, I can't get to them on any sphere, psychic or dream, no spell seems to work, so I'm thinking he must have established some powerful magical link to them or something. I'm not quite sure how exactly, but…"

"It would also explain why they haven't tried to escape," Stefan noted, nodding, and it felt good to finally have some form of a working theory to mull over.

They went on for a while, until Caroline, who had been mostly quiet during their conversation, suddenly said, "I know our first priority is getting Damon and Enzo back, but…," she made a pause, awkwardly looking at Stefan, then Bonnie, "what about after? That wolf… does anyone know how to even defeat him? Are we just gonna, like, sneak the guys out of there, hoping he won't notice? I mean, we can't risk him actually bringing on the end of the world. Of course he won't actually be eating Odin or whoever, but, there's truth to every story, right? So what if he'll really somehow destroy the world? We can't let that happen. Things are already starting to be a little… I don't know, unbalanced? Just look at all these other attacks. They can't all be attributed to just Fenris, right?"

Caroline counted off incidents on her hand that they had all read about, a massacre in Alaska, wolf pack sightings all over Europe, ferocious attacks across the globe. Bonnie and Stefan grimaced. They all knew something needed to be done, that this whole thing was bigger than just them.

"Maybe we should go back to Klaus, appeal to his-" Stefan didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, because suddenly the windshield came at him and exploded into a million tiny pieces of greenish glass around them all.

Something had crashed into them, and it was big. Their car got catapulted into the air at an awkward angle and Bonnie saw it all happen in a strange slow motion. Caroline's hair flew around her, Stefan got squished against the side window, and she herself felt her head snap back and all she could think of was, "that'll give me some nasty whiplash, or a concussion."

When the vehicle came down again, nose first, there was the sound of a huge crash. Bonnie felt her teeth click as her jaw was jolted shut from the force and she tasted copper when she accidentally bit her tongue as a result.

She couldn't think anymore. They all couldn't.

Eventually, when it was all over and the car came to lie on its side, slightly swaying for a while longer, everything grew eerily calm. The three were held in place by their seat belts, heads listing awkwardly as their unconscious bodies felt the pull of gravity.

Outside, a darkness crawled closer to them, slowly, without a sound, and finally, a long snout emerged through the window, just inches from Bonnie's head and… sniffed.

* * *

…

Enzo closed his eyes and held his breath. He wasn't even noticing it, all he noticed was Damon's hard grip on his arms, pulling him back, forcing him to stay put.

"Don't," his friend hissed, and it took everything to even just process that one word.

The wolf had taken them out on another errand, his bind on them so strong that they couldn't ever resist, and he'd said he'd wanted to show them something when he'd suddenly sprung out of the undergrowth he'd made them march through and onto the road, just as a car came racing out of nowhere.

Their car.

He'd made it crash and as it was flying, the wolf had sped over to them, growling, baring his long horrible teeth, and Enzo had felt his putrid breath right in his face.

"You vampires thought you could deceive me?" he was saying, and all Enzo was able to do was stare at the car flying through the air, his breath hitching, his body tensing.

Bonnie. He thought her name then, he couldn't help it any more. Bonnie… He felt an anguish creep up inside of him that was threatening to burst out, but it was then that he felt Damon's grip on his arm and heard the other man say, "What are you talking about? What's going on? Is this show for our sakes? Because, frankly, you're overdoing it a bit on the stunt work. If you wanted these people dead, we could have easily just-"

"Quiet!" The wolf yelled; his usually calm demeanor had completely vanished. "Did you think I wouldn't notice your little treachery? - What did you use to guide them here?"

It took Damon everything to pretend to stay cool and to make his voice sound level. He didn't know how Fenris had even spotted the car, how he had known the people inside had any connection to them.

It all couldn't even be a consequence of their little branding work, yet, because how would Stefan have known where to find them? It boggled his mind, who had even found who?

He heard a loud crashing noise and glanced over to where the car had made contact with the road again. Stefan, he briefly thought, and was ridiculously glad his brother was a vampire, too. But Bonnie…

He felt Enzo move under his grip, felt his friend's tension, and he knew he needed to be fast. Fenris suddenly growled at them and hurled himself off, over to the car, just as Enzo wanted to speed over there, too. It took all of Damon's strength to hold him back.

"Let me go," Enzo hissed, but Damon wouldn't budge, even as his friend intensified his fight.

"Can't," he growled, "don't be stupid, Lorenzo. Right now he still doesn't know anything. He doesn't have anything he can use against us, but if you run over there now? He'll know you care - we care."

Enzo gritted his teeth and forcefully expelled air through his nose; he was bristling with anger and fear, emotions Damon knew all too well. But finally, he felt the other's arms slacken and he allowed himself to breathe.

"Can I let go? You won't just run over there and endanger them?"

Enzo suddenly whirled around to face him, and the expression in his face made Damon take a step back. There was so much raw emotion in it, and he only remembered one other instance where he'd seen the other man like that. Back then, Damon had been the one to cause that pain, because back then Damon had been the only friend, the only close person Enzo had had.

Things had changed.

He swallowed hard. What if it had been Elena? He was trying to make up his mind. Before he had really done so, his grip had already started gradually loosening as if of its own accord. Damon closed his eyes, and held his breath.

This was going to be the end of them either way.

* * *

…

As soon as Enzo felt Damon's fingers leave his arm, he sped forward. He knew that it was already too late to protect her, the wolf had after all already somehow found and attacked them. But maybe it wasn't too late to save her. Maybe there was some chance for them to make this right.

At the very least, he didn't want her to be alone…

He found her easily, hanging in her seat like a broken doll, her head at an awkward angle, her body battered. He made a sound, a brief anguished sob that he wasn't aware of, before he cupped her face, and busied himself trying to get her into a more comfortable position.

"Bonnie," he said, "it's going to be alright."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Damon climb into the car next, probably trying to get to Stefan.

He saw Caroline sitting next to the younger Salvatore and knew they needed to get her out as well. But he also knew that she could wait a little moment longer. She was a vampire after all. Bonnie, on the other hand…

He pulled her out and over to the side of the road. He pricked his wrist with his teeth and held it against her lips. "Drink, love," he cajoled.

He looked at her face and gently wiped away the traces of the accident. He pulled shards of glass out of her hair, stroked a strand of it to the side so that it wouldn't get caked in the blood coming from her mouth, a mixture of her own and his…

"Drink…"

But Bonnie wasn't conscious, wasn't actively drinking, and before he could be sure any of the blood had even entered her system, the unthinkable happened...

Bonnie stopped breathing.

...

Before the truth of that could completely sink in, before the utter disbelief and shock could make room for any panic or grief, Enzo was suddenly torn away from Bonnie's lifeless body and thrown into the air and back down on the hard cold ground like a puppet cut from its strings. A jaw so strong it could have pulled him apart was digging its terrific teeth into his side, half crushing his ribcage as it did.

The pain didn't even register with him, though he was suddenly acutely aware of Damon screaming and running toward him like a madman. He felt like he was very far away and just watching something that didn't concern him.

Until his gaze fell on Bonnie, who lay not far from him, and he slowly forced his broken body to crawl over to her until he rested right next to her, staring up into the black canopies of the trees that lined the dark road they were on, and then…

… the stars, so brightly pulsating. Growing bigger and bigger.

* * *

…

Damon felt it before he saw it. He knew it before he completely body was already reacting when the movement made the air around him shiver the slightest bit.

He had just used his vampire speed to get Stefan and Caroline out of the car when he'd felt the night sky darken another nuance above him.

He'd never be able to completely recall - or forget - what happened in the following minutes. How Fenris had raced toward Enzo and Bonnie so swiftly, so fast that he'd been nothing but a flash of fur.

Then a loud scream that may have been Enzo's, or his own; he'd never know. Because by then his legs had already started running, while his brain was still trying to process what was going on.

Stefan had started stirring, Enzo was hurled through the air, Bonnie was eerily quiet and motionless, and the wolf growled so low that he could barely understand him, "You can't betray Fenris, greatest of wolves! I'll bring the end, and I'll start with you."

"Aw, come on," Damon said reflexively, though he didn't even feel much like bantering with the devil, "can we talk about this? Who said anything about betrayal?"

But apparently, Fenris wasn't interested in fake banter either, and just as Damon came speeding toward his comrade in suffering and his best friend, he saw the wolf jump at him and he stretched out his arms to shield himself. Fenris's fangs bored into the flesh of his forearm and a horrible feeling of agony and gloom washed over him before he lost consciousness strangely quickly.

* * *

...

Did they really think he was that stupid? Had they forgotten - or simply not understood - how powerful he really was? How almost omniscient?

Had they not witnessed first hand how ferocious and strong he'd gotten; nearly back to his formidable glory?

Granted, he'd almost missed it. Almost. He'd been preoccupied with feeding off of the scum of the earth they'd brought him, he'd been busy devouring every last bit of skin and hair and bone, feeling immediately invigorated by the taste of blood and fresh meat.

But then his always wandering mind had caught on to their little plan. He'd noticed them messing with the remains, a silent observer in their minds, or at least the mind of the chatty one, as the other's was still veiled.

He had seen through it right away.

They had tried to sic someone on him. Or at least to find them, and he couldn't have that. Betrayal was the one thing he would never tolerate, never forgive again.

So he'd reverse tracked whoever the vampires had tried to message. He'd secretly waited by the remains, sending his servants on some errands to distract them, and then…

Then he'd seen them. The girls and the boy. Just three kids, really, and whatever was he supposed to make of that? What did the vampires want with those three? Were they trying to escape him with their help? Were they supposed to attack him, kill him?

He had grown so angry at the thought. The two vampires were his, and his alone. They were the start of his army and he had had great plans with them. But they hadn't deserved it, he knew that now.

So he'd wanted to make an example out of them. He'd wanted to teach them as much as anyone else.

So he'd attacked the three kids in their car when he was sure the two vampires would see it. And their reaction - especially the suddenly clearly visible one of the quiet one - had shown him he'd been right. They had betrayed him, and they'd die for it.

But when he finally sank his teeth deep into the one called Enzo his head felt like it was going to explode, and he had to let go before he could start devouring him. A shiver went through his body and he felt a flicker go through him as his other form battled to surface, and he had to concentrate hard to regain his composure.

The dark one was like poison, he needed to make sure he killed that one, fast.

But just when he set out to go after him once more - an easy prey, wounded on the ground - the funny one suddenly raced toward him and reflexively Fenris jumped at that one first. He'd hopefully be an even easier kill.

As he bit through the skin, he heard the satisfying sound of bone crushing in the vampire's arm, and he snarled in triumph. He went straight for the jugular next, but refrained from biting off the head. Bleeding out would have to be enough, as Fenris knew he needed all his strength for the stranger of the two, the toxic one.

Fenris' fur stood on end as he slowly approached the man who was laying in the grass, next to one of the girls, his empty unseeing stare trained at the night sky above him. He could hear the air being sucked into collapsing lungs, gasps more than anything, and it calmed him. It would be an easy fight after all. Just a little more to send the vampire over the edge and into oblivion.

He sniffed, walked a little closer, then opened his snout wide, ready to attack.

When he finally made his next move, a few things happened all at once. He grazed an object made from shiny metal with his tooth and felt a shock go through his body that prevented him from biting down.

He went for it again, but just when he tried bringing his jaw together, mauling the vampire's body between his teeth, something sprang at him out of the woods and he found himself flailing and fighting against something else. Someone.

A wolf.

A wolf? "How dare you…" he started in a low growl, as he sank his teeth into the other, smaller beast, but the wolf didn't stop and didn't explain.

So they fought, they fought until one of them started yowling then fell down panting in the grass.

It was over.

As Fenris lifted his head into the sky, howling at the moon above, the wolf by his paws slowly turned into the shape of a man.


	13. Fate of the injured

...

There was a time in Faelan's life when he cursed the sun and the moon, and his life. He cursed everything and tried to end it all. He jumped off a cliff into the sea, hoping it would take him, wash away what had become of him.

But of course that didn't happen. And just as every day, he'd come back to her, defeated, and she'd wrapped her arms around him, holding him until the despair had dissipated, and he felt like he could, just maybe, hold out a little while longer.

For her.

When she had passed on, leaving him behind in his immortal life, he'd briefly considered the fire. No being could ever survive burning, he'd thought.

He'd shied away, however, unable to do it, when he'd seen the family she'd left behind. Beautiful people all of them, though some were marred by the same curse as Faelan himself. However, if they'd go through life without taking another's, they'd be spared. They'd be able to live happily, as humans.

He'd wanted to help them do that, stay on the right path. He'd wanted to look out for them. And so he did.

He wasn't always in time, of course, and every so often, another wolf followed in his footsteps, sharing his fate.

He'd tried to let them use the locket to ensure they'd still find and hold love in their lives, but when there were too many wolves at once, the locket's magic couldn't help them all at the same time.

Until…

... one of his descendants eventually discovered a way to make its magic stronger.

Colm O'Reilly had been of witch and wolf blood, son of both, and when his own offspring, his daughter, accidentally triggered her wolf gene he knew he needed to do something to ensure that both she and he himself would not harm the rest of the family.

So he'd worked out a better spell, a more potent magic for them all. If a wolf instead of a human were to carry the locket around their neck, that wolf would not, _could_ _not_ harm anyone. If that wolf were to be a witch as well, they could exponentially increase the power of the locket, charging it with their inherent magic, making it so potent it could protect everyone that shared their blood.

But then, one day, someone had destroyed their magical protective shield. Someone had dared to tear Orlaith's locket off of her last witch descendant.

And Faelan needed to get it back, so he went out on one last hunt. Which is when he found out that his father had returned...

* * *

...

The first thing Caroline saw when she came to was a huge animal sniffing the air, howling. The gloomy moonlight shone on the street, and she could clearly make out the remains of their crashed car, and the beast's black fur.

Other than an involuntary shiver, she didn't dare move, even though her mind couldn't quite process what was right in front of her. A wolf, just like Klaus had said. Yet not a wolf, not like anyone she'd ever seen.

Suddenly, she saw another wolf leap at it and watched as a fight ensued that seemed to be something straight out of a horror movie. Giant teeth, loud growling, lithe bodies tearing at each other.

She looked around, in a panic, trying to locate her friends, and was shocked when she saw Bonnie lying motionless in her own blood, and Enzo right beside her, breathing, but so erratically it couldn't be a good sign. And not far from them, Damon.

She saw Stefan bent over his brother's body, oblivious to what was going on around him, or maybe he just didn't care. And she pulled herself up on her arms to try and crouch over to them, while the beasts still fought not far from her.

"Stefan," she whispered, but he wasn't paying any attention to her, to anything other than his brother.

"Damon," she heard him say, over and over and over again, and there was a heartbreaking shaking in his voice that worried her more than the blood that came out of the older Salvatore's neck.

Then she heard the horrible gurgling noises and her stomach almost turned.

The grass was cold and wet under her hands and her knees, but at least her body had started to heal itself and the pain from the crash was slowly subsiding.

She finally got to the two brothers and knelt down next to Stefan. "What can I do?" she asked, but she already knew Stefan wouldn't be able to answer her.

"Please, Damon," he was saying, pressing his shirt against his brother's neck to stop the blood flow, but Damon was quite obviously not even conscious. He was bleeding out, the wound not healing. The bite of a werewolf, and a big one at that.

The father of all werewolves.

Before she had a chance to spring into action, she suddenly felt a woosh of air above her and the smaller of the wolves got thrown over their heads and landed not far from where they sat.

The big beast - the Fenris wolf, she'd gathered - waited only one more moment, sending out an awful howl, then sped off into the dark woods, as if he was done here.

And he was. They were almost all dying. He'd won the fight.

She needed to do something. She needed to check on Bonnie, on Enzo, but she also couldn't just leave Stefan. It was clear to her that Damon was gone, but Stefan wasn't processing any of that. He was in shock.

With a sigh, she got up quickly, feeling like it would make more sense to see whether she could still help Bonnie and Enzo. Damon wouldn't go anywhere. Neither would Stefan.

But when she stumbled over to them, she suddenly came across the other wolf, or, what should have been the other wolf, for what she saw was just a man.

Her breath hitched as she saw the exposed body, full of scratches, some shallow, but most deep gashes, and a garish wound in one thigh, blood oozing from it quickly.

She walked closer, something drawing her to the stranger that had seemingly fought on their side, and she bent down and carefully touched the man's naked shoulder. He was still breathing, and when he felt her fingers, a shock ran through his body and his head rolled to the side so that she could see his face.

"Tyler?" She gasped and fell on her knees right next to him.

* * *

...

The sky had taken on a light pink hue at the very edges, the promise of sunrise, when Bonnie finally opened her eyes again.

For a long moment, she just stared up into the trees, marveling at how intricate the pattern of the leaves was, how well she could see their little veins and vibrant color, even in the twilight of dawn.

She blinked a couple of times, confused, as her brain was trying to catch up with what had happened to her. When it suddenly did, she jolted upright with a start.

The accident! Had she, was she…

She needed to close her eyes for a bit, to try and focus, ignore the fresh panic rising within her. Slowly, her mind zoomed in on an unrhythmic sound right next to her. Breathing. One shallow breath in, one labored short exhalation.

She turned to her side, already knowing what she would see, and yet she was still shocked.

"Enzo?"

It was true then. She had seen him after the crash. She had felt him, had heard his voice and in her muffled mind she had not processed that it was really happening. She had thought it was her dying brain's way of trying to find comfort. Projecting the love of her life.

But he was here.

And while she wasn't dying after all - in fact she didn't even feel pain anymore, so he had probably healed her - it sounded like _he_ wasn't doing too well.

She scrambled to her knees in worry. Bending over him, her hands grappled at him, unsure of what to do or where to start. She noticed the blood on him, the torn jacket and shirt, and her hands flew from the edges of that to his face.

"Enzo," she cried, and suddenly, his closed eyes flickered open and he almost stared through her, but with a smile. And she sobbed out a clipped laugh before hugging him as gently as she could.

He still gasped in pain, and Bonnie was quick to let go and stroke his face, apologizing. "I'm so sorry! Oh god oh god oh god, we need to…"

She was starting to look around her for the first time, and spotted Damon on the ground not far from them, Stefan busy staunching the blood flowing all too freely from a deep wound in his brother's throat. Bonnie felt her heart beating too fast. Not Damon, too… She had only just gotten them back, the two most important men in her life, and she didn't want to believe it was just so that she could witness them die.

Her gaze wandered over to Caroline, who was similarly busy tending to an injured man, and Bonnie puzzled briefly over all of that because she couldn't, for the life of her, remember how all these people had even showed up at the site of their accident.

"Caroline!" She yelled, because she knew she needed help, and she knew Care was her best chance, but when the other girl looked up, wide eyed, her hair wild around her head and partly still plastered to her scalp with dried blood, her face spoke of so much overwhelmed panic and worry that Bonnie knew that it was on her alone to get them help, to get them out of there.

She took the deepest breath she could muster, filling her lungs up to the brim, and tried to focus, never once letting go of Enzo, who was still just staring, breathing, staring, until she felt his fluttery fingers come up to gently sweep over her cheek, and the touch jolted through her like electricity.

Help, she thought. She was not going to let him - let _them_ \- die.

She quickly patted herself down to find her phone and was relieved when she found it to be working. The screen was badly broken, but she could still unlock it and go to her contacts, so she made a quick call. Just a few words to a shocked Ric,

"We need help. It's bad," she said, "they got bitten by the wolf; Enzo and Damon. And someone else. We'll need a ride and the antidote. We need it _now_! Track my phone."

She hadn't even let him get a word in sideways and had already hung up before he could ask any questions. She didn't have time.

* * *

...

"Enzo," she said, her brain finally properly functioning once more, and the love she felt for him was so great that it just spilled over. She kissed him, passionately, if carefully, then started examining him.

She pulled his jacket to the side, then looked up into his face. "I'm gonna have to take a look, babe. It'll probably not be very fun," she said and clenched her teeth as she busied herself trying to gently take his hand away that he was holding over his left side.

"Always the left one, huh?" she tried joking to distract him, and he made a sound close to a chuckle that got choked at the end. She tried to keep her smile, but she was close to tears at seeing him in pain again. It took some effort to get his tense arm out of the way, but she tried to soothe him as she did. She bit down hard when she started carefully pulling the blood soaked shirt away and felt bile in her throat at what she saw. His skin was badly torn, his ribs crushed and visible, his intestines barely held in place.

"This was not supposed to become a regular occurrence, you know?" she reminded him, trying her best to sound casual, "Me having to patch you back up?"

He chuckled, then hissed out in pain once more, his face sobering. "I'm sorry, love. I… don't think I can be patched up… this time…" his words faded before he'd really voiced them and she looked at him stoically, shaking her head.

"You're not allowed to think that way. We are going to fix this, you hear me? We. Are. Going. To. Fix. You," she implored him. He gave her a weak smile as she was busy taking her jacket off, then her shirt.

"You gonna take advantage of… an injured, helpless man?" he said, grinning a bloody grin, and she glared at him.

"If that thought helps you keep fighting, then yeah!" She told him and quickly pushed her shirt up against his broken side, making him roll his eyes back and stifle a yell. "I'm sorry," she whispered and it was mostly to reassure herself, "You're gonna be fine. We'll just have to use the locket again and wait for the antidote. Once we've given you that, you'll heal up again quickly. You'll…"

"It's okay, love," Enzo muttered and it was only then that she realized she had been crying for real. She tried to wipe her eyes, to find her smile again, for him, but it wouldn't come. She grabbed the hand he'd used to stroke her face, and held it there, against her cheek. "All… I ever… wanted was to find that love that made… everything worth it... All the years of… pain and torture," he paused for a long time and they just looked at each other, "It's really okay… I was just… for a while I was worried you wouldn't come back-"

"I wouldn't… come _back_?" She looked at him bewildered, and he gave her a look, showed her his wrist that still had the mark of his teeth in it. "I know," she said, "you healed me, babe."

But he weakly shook his head.

And then she understood. "I died. I… died?" She'd somehow had his blood in her system, but it had been too late to heal her. Just a second too late… Her eyes grew wide at the realization that that could only mean one thing: Bonnie Bennett was going to be a vampire.

"I'm so sorry; know I keep saying this," Enzo whispered, and she could see how hard it was for him to speak, "I had to try… It'll be alright. You got Caroline to… help you figure this out, you-"

"I got _you_ ," she cried, "you are not gonna leave me, Lorenzo St. John. You'll be the one helping me 'figure this out,' it'll be you!"

He smiled at her determination, at the anger in her face, and tried to nod. "Okay," he allowed, "... but if not, I want you to know that… I'm happy, Bonnie Bennett. I love you, and I'm happy with you. I'm happy that you get to live your life."

"Enzo…" she didn't want to hear this, because she knew he was saying goodbye, that, despite his words, he didn't believe he'd be around for much longer. He might not have given up, per se, but he had already accepted it, and she wasn't even sure whether that wasn't worse.

"Promise me you'll live that life, Bonnie, that you'll remember the good times," he was channeling the words he'd spoken to her before, and her vision swam with more tears as she nodded and muttered, "New Year's Eve, guitar lessons."

"Surfing in the moonlight," he grinned, but she could tell he was growing weaker.

"Your risotto. Because I love that risotto."

"Do you now?" he smiled at her, the moment so sweet, so beautiful, if it hadn't been for the blood and the labored breaths reminding her where they were.

"When this is over, you'll have to make me a big plate of it," she demanded. "You'll have to take me to Paris, too, and I don't know, maybe I can unbox my old cheerleading outfit and do something for you in return," she suggested, her tears flowing freely even though she broke into a laugh just as he chuckled.

If only time could stand still forever…

* * *

…

When Stefan had first seen Damon, and what the monster had done to him, he'd broken down screaming. But he'd forced himself back up again and into action, because his brother needed him.

He was not going to give up hope. He'd fight. But he needed Damon to fight, too.

He pulled off his own bloodstained t-shirt in one quick movement and tore it into longer straps that he tried to wrap as tightly as possible around Damon's neck. Even though his brother was obviously a vampire himself, Stefan still forced some of his blood down his brother's throat, hoping it'd help him battle against the werewolf infection that was raging in his body.

But they'd need more. They'd need the antidote.

"Damon, can you hear me?" he tried cajoling his brother to wake up, but Damon remained unconscious, no matter how imploringly Stefan called out to him. "Brother. Come on. Please. I need you. We all need you. You have so many friends, you… please, you gotta fight this. We will make this right again, but you gotta fight!"

But no words could help. Nothing. He ran a nervous hand through his already ruffled looking hair and tried to think. He saw Bonnie rise from certain death, he saw Enzo on the ground, and Caroline sitting by the stranger that had come out of nowhere as a wolf to fight the beast and who had fallen down a man in the grass not far from them. He heard her call out Tyler's name and was puzzled at the thought. What was Lockwood even doing here?

But he had other things to think about. The wolf was gone, but he'd left a field of carnage and of death. If they didn't act fast, this would all be over soon. And it would only become another one of many animal attack sites that'd lead the world into doom.

He squeezed his thumb and index finger into his eyes, trying to suppress a building sob, and pulled out his phone to try again what he'd already done a handful of times: call Klaus. Get him to come to their aid.

Because as unlikely as it seemed that the Original would help them, he was Stefan's only hope.

And while it may have been a small hope, he was willing to hold onto it fiercely. Because he just couldn't imagine a life without Damon. He'd always been there, from the moment Stefan was born. Always.

There was simply no life possible without him. So it was either the small hope of Klaus helping them, or the world ending already. Whichever happened first.

"I am almost certain I told you to run, ripper," Klaus' voice suddenly reached his ear, "but it seems you'd rather harass me over the pho-"

"Help me please, Klaus," he sobbed out, not even caring about dignity anymore. Because it didn't matter.

He heard a sigh on the other end. "Tell me where you are."

And Stefan did.

* * *

...

When the first attacks had happened and the first sighting spoke of a wild beast, a wolf, Caroline had briefly considered asking Klaus for help, but she had just as quickly talked herself out of it. She didn't feel like dealing with him, and her own stupid attraction to him. Especially when she still didn't know how to handle the whole situation with Stefan.

Men! She'd exclaimed to herself, annoyed with her own attraction and affection for them, and she had decided to just focus on finding their friends, and on her girls.

Because she was first and foremost a mom now. And she had to deal with her weird little family situation, which, of course, also included a man. Alaric.

But then more evidence of the thing in the vault being related to the werewolves had accumulated and in a desperate moment, she had picked up her phone and hovered over Klaus' contact info, when suddenly she had remembered that he was not the only werewolf that she intimately knew.

So Caroline had found herself dialing Tyler's number before she'd had a chance to chicken out of that, too.

To her utter surprise, he had actually answered.

"Caroline?" He'd sounded surprised, and weary. She had felt a pang of guilt and concern. They hadn't talked much, if at all, in the last three years. Their lives had just continued on in completely different directions.

She'd never even asked him why he'd left, and where to. She'd just assumed it was because of Liv, and that Jeremy's departure had given him a good enough incentive to leave, too.

"Ty, hey," she'd chirped, and had felt so stupid for trying to sound chipper. "How are you?" She'd sunken down in her chair, hiding her face behind her hand as if anyone was even there to see her. But she had been alone in the kitchen, the girls fast asleep in their beds, Alaric still at the Armory.

"I'm…" he'd paused, "what's going on, Care? I'm pretty sure you're not suddenly calling out of the blue to ask me how I've been doing. Do you need my help?"

She had sighed and closed her eyes. She had seen him in front of her, and a small smile had spread on her face. "Too obvious, huh? I'm… I'm sorry, Tyler, for not staying in touch more."

"It's on both of us. I don't blame you. We were just…"

"Yes we were... I still think about you often, you know? I worry about you." Why the hell had she even been telling him that? She had rolled her eyes at herself. But she couldn't take her words back. "After Liv…"

"Caroline…"

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you more. I know you needed someone, and I…"

"Don't. Please just… don't," was all he had said and the line had grown quiet for a long moment before she felt too awkward and just sprang the reason for her call on him, telling him everything they'd been through. About Damon and Enzo, and Bonnie, and then even Stefan and Alaric and the girls. And an hour later they had still been talking, laughing and bantering, and when she'd hung up, he'd given her his promise to try and ask around in the wolf community and among the hunters whether anyone knew anything or had heard anything.

"I'll be in touch," he'd promised, and then she hadn't gotten much more than a few text messages from him ever since.

But now he was here, lying naked and broken, so vulnerable, in front of her, barely conscious, and she felt _so_ much then, so much that she couldn't place, but all the love she'd once felt for him was suddenly back, breaking through again. Maybe she had only ever buried her feelings, never lost them.

"Oh Ty," she whispered as she put her jacket under his head and draped a blanket she'd brought over from the car around his exposed body, trying to keep him warm.

"What are you even doing out here?" She asked him, gently stroking his hair, and he tried to focus on her face.

"I was trying to look out for you," he mumbled, and she smiled a sad smile at him. "Heard about Fenris being around these parts. There's a… a pack located not far from here. They-"

He coughed, shivers racking through his body and she shushed him, "It's alright. We can talk later. Let's get you some help first."

"No, I'm… you need to hear this. The pack… they're, there's an old wolf among them, very old. He's said to be directly sired from Fenris."

As he said it, the lights of an approaching car suddenly illuminated the scene and for a brief moment she was torn between trying to hide Tyler and herself somewhere and just waiting.

In the end, she waited, protectively holding him against her, as she felt his warm breath against her skin. "Please don't die on me, Ty, okay?" She whispered, but he didn't show any reaction and when she carefully checked on him, his eyes were closed.

The car came to a stop just then.

* * *

...

The Salvatore crypt was deserted at that time of day, so very quiet, so very dark.

But suddenly a loud creaking noise disrupted the night and somewhere, the lid of a coffin sprang open.

Elena looked around her, confused and a little out of it, and slowly climbed out.

Was this, then, the day she'd hoped for and dreaded at the same time?

Bonnie had died?

She bit her lip at the thought. Part of her just couldn't even begin to fathom that. But she knew it had to be that way.

The whole world had surely changed. Who else of her friends would still be around?

How much time had passed?

She walked out of the crypt as slowly as if she were sleepwalking, her body not used to the sudden action. Once she set a first foot out into the clean cool night air, one arm gripping the wall for support, she took a deep breath.

She'd need to go see Damon. She hoped with all her heart that he'd not gotten himself in danger without her. That he was still happily alive.

Ready to finally live his life with her.

Because _she_ was more than ready.

* * *

...

 _Thank you few for reading - especially to those leaving some feedback! You always make my day._

 _I should probably warn you, if this isn't obvious by now: besides Bonenzo, this will have Forwood. If anyone wants to back out now... :)_

 _If not, you might want to once I tell you that I'm still unsure as to Delena's fate in this story. I used to love them, but over the years, I've grown fond of other possibilities, and yes, that includes the not so popular Stelena... Anyways, feel free to persuade me one way or another..._

 _Until then: happy reading!_


	14. When giving up is giving in

_Thank you for reading! Especially to those of you reviewing. Shoutout to Jade: you're always here! Thanks! And also jannay, kpmindc, and Meow! kpmindc: I'm also not a great Elena fan, so we shall see how that'll go. She'll not be a major focus, but since she's kinda important to the characters, she'll have to be featured somehow._

 _Meow: I really appreciate your long feedback. I know, in my head this often seems better than it probably translates into words. It's actually kinda "funny" that I'm "springing" Tyler and Caroline on you guys in a fashion like they did Bonenzo. While I won't be able to fill in any past gaps, I'm actually not gonna have them be an established couple or anything. They are not together, yet. We shall see whether it truly works out or whether I'll throw in an OC. You're definitely right: she deserves an epic love story of her own. (I don't hate Steroline or Klaroline, btw. I dealt with that more in another fic...)_

 _Anyways. I'd love to hear more feedback on that. Also when - if- I should be "losing you" - or anyone else, for that matter. :)_

 _On with the story. A tough Bonnie - Caroline scene awaits further down..._

* * *

...

The quaint little town seemed so unsuspecting that Alaric and Georgie could barely believe that Enzo had gotten attacked here all those months ago.

It seemed to come straight out of a brochure for a relaxing vacation out in the countryside, cute little houses, friendly people that waved to them as soon as they got out of the car, and lots of nature surrounding them.

It was also considerably colder here than when they'd first set out on their little trip. Alaric pulled his jacket together, zipping it up to keep more of the cold out.

He gave Georgie a look. "What the hell is going on with the weather?" he asked his intern and the girl just made a face and shrugged her shoulders.

"It's either a strange result of global warming, or it's linked to the dawning end of the world. Didn't you say 'three winters in a row' are upon us, according to the myth?" the dark haired girl was saying while rummaging through the bag she'd thrown into the back of the car earlier when Ric had picked her up.

He was still surprised at how matter-of-fact she was about the prospect of Ragnarök looming over their heads, but she was his student, after all, and had had her own brushes with the supernatural. Enough to not be freaked out right away.

He stood next to her, leaning against the car, waiting for her to finish up, when another townsperson smiled a wide smile at him and waved over like they were old friends. He grinned awkwardly and returned the gesture.

He was beginning to sense something slightly off about the town. When he looked over to Georgie, she seemed to be thinking the same. "You still think you could have totally brought your kids out on this trip?" she asked, smirking, picking up something he'd said earlier.

He rolled his eyes. "Not so much, no. But, I mean, we are here to chase down a werewolf witch, so I guess it was never really a question to begin with. Come on, you ready? I want to get going before it gets dark."

She nodded, shouldered her heavy bag and off they went, to the nearest bar. Because that was always the first place to go looking for information.

* * *

…

Later, after they'd gotten as many names and info as possible, they decided to just go straight for the gold and headed out to the clearing where the werewolf cave was supposed to be hidden. They climbed up a tree to get a better - and safer - vantage point, because Alaric didn't want them to end up as cannon fodder for hungry werewolves, since they didn't know how many might be there.

He wanted to wait till they had found the witch among them and not just barge in, guns with silver bullets wielding, and hope for the best.

So they waited. And waited. Until they finally got rewarded and the first people showed up. Georgie was suddenly nodding at him and pointed at a woman with long wild reddish curls and a commanding demeanor. The woman looked very angry.

Jackpot, Alaric thought and gave his intern an appreciative look. That was fast. Now to the harder part. Getting to her - and her alone - and question her. Maybe even get her to work together. He took a deep breath. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

…

They were already on their way back, in the car, looking dirty and a little the worse for wear all in all, though with tired smiles on their faces, when Ric's phone suddenly jolted them out of their conversation.

Since Georgie was driving, he casually answered, grinning over to her all the while.

"Bonnie," he said and prepared to tell her about their night, and about the mostly good news he had. But he didn't get out much more than a gasp after that, because what he heard next was just the briefest of summaries of what sounded like a true FUBAR situation.

The line got disconnected so fast it left him shocked and useless for a moment, until Georgie's voice finally registered with him again and he looked at her.

"You alright there, Professor Saltzman? Coz, you look like you've just gotten some really bad news…"

He grimaced. "We need to track Bonnie's phone. STAT."

* * *

...

The car's smooth motor was droning out the noises of the starting day, and Caroline stared out through the back window to see how Bonnie, Enzo, Damon, and Stefan were faring outside on the back of Georgie's humongous pickup truck.

She had an absent hand still on Tyler, who was breathing quietly with his head on her lap, eyes closed.

Georgie was speeding as fast as possible without endangering the people in the back, quietly talking with Alaric as she did.

"Are the girls with Alison?" Caroline suddenly blurted, her twins popping into her head and making her panic. She had been so preoccupied with trying to keep her friends alive that she had seriously forgotten all about her daughters!

"Yes," Alaric turned in his seat to look at her, his face calm and sympathetic. "We agreed it would be best if they stayed at home with her, remember? If you want we can call them. Alison said she'd keep her phone on her in case we needed to check in on them." He smiled briefly. The new nanny was a godsend. She seemed to just read them like open books, understanding all their first time parent worries.

Caroline looked relieved but shook her head. "Maybe once we're back, we can…" she trailed off, but Ric had already understood and nodded.

"We'll drive over there, as soon as we've taken care of these guys at the Armory," he told her, and she smiled at him sadly, mouthing a thank you.

Tyler stirred next to her, pain flickering across his features as he did, but his eyes stayed closed and her reassuring gentle touch seemed to calm him.

She looked out again, her gaze briefly locking on Stefan's, who was holding his brother as Bonnie was continuing to chant a spell, over and over and over again.

...

When Bonnie had found the locket, she'd quickly set about to try and get its magic to work once more. She'd wanted to start with Enzo, but he'd gripped her arm with surprising strength and shaken his head, rasping out Damon's name.

She had known instantly that she wouldn't be able to argue with him, and since she needed them both to live, anyways, and wasn't going to allow the thought of one of them passing away, she'd just followed his wordless orders and had used the spell on Damon first, then on her boyfriend.

She was now alternating between the two, imploring them to hold out till they got to the Armory, where the antidote was waiting.

She closed her eyes, concentrating, chanting the same words again and again, hoping it'd help the two men's broken bodies to heal. She was holding one of each of their hands and she felt like she would never be able to let go again. She tightened her grip until it was almost uncomfortable, then forced herself to concentrate back on her task.

* * *

...

The world passed by like a blur, forests, meadows, cities.

The cities were fascinating. Big, bustling with life. With prey.

Now that his strength was fully restored, he was free to do his own hunting, and it was invigorating, liberating, exhilarating!

Fenris was meant for this life, for this world. He'd make it his, and devour it whole.

He'd discarded his first servants after teaching them a lesson, leaving their mauled bodies as a testament to everyone else.

 _You don't mess with the greatest wolf. You don't ever betray him._

He stopped briefly in his tracks, sniffing the cool air. He knew it was supposed to be summer, but he'd brought on the beginnings of winter, and soon, the snow would follow.

This was his time.

…

Not far from him, unnoticed, another wolf had come to a halt, waiting, observing.

When the bigger beast continued on his way, the smaller one quickly followed him once more.

* * *

...

The Salvatore home was deserted when Elena got there, which wasn't necessarily all that surprising, yet she had a strange feeling anyways.

Bonnie was dead, and neither Damon nor Stefan were home that early in the morning? She walked through the big front door, touching the wood fondly as she did, then letting her fingers roam across all the surfaces she came past. The walls, the kitchen counter, the couch, the mantel on the fireplace. Then she decided to go upstairs and maybe just wait there until the brothers returned.

Maybe she could try and call Damon. She hoped he'd kept his number…

* * *

...

The drive went by as if she was in a trance, and she kind of was. When her voice simply didn't want to obey her anymore, she rested her forehead against Enzo's, and breathed in his scent.

"Please stay with me, Enzo," she muttered, and she felt his answering breath on her face.

"Nothing I want more, love."

She looked at him then, saw the love and pain battle in his face and her heart felt like it was going to burst with love.

"I love you, Lorenzo St. John. I love you…" She was crying. His chest was heaving in a shallow up and down movement, so much struggle, and she felt her own strength waver, felt herself give up.

But then, something else happened, the first rays of the sun broke through the sky and it was beautiful. It meant morning was here. As Bonnie looked up, holding Enzo in her arms, she breathed in deep. She wanted to feel hope again. The air was cold around them, the wind from the fast pace of the car making it even cooler, yet she suddenly felt as if her skin was heating up. Burning.

Her eyes started hurting so bad she could barely see...

"Bonnie," Enzo hissed, trying to somehow sit up and shield her, but he moaned out in pain before he'd gotten far and slumped back hard, eyes rolling back into his skull.

In a sudden confused panic Bonnie stared at him, scared for him and only when Stefan had sat up and grabbed her head between his fingers, imploring her to look at him, did she finally calm down again.

"You're transitioning, Bonnie. You'll need blood soon, before-"

"Before I die?!" she yelled against the wind, panic making room for disgust at the thought of ingesting human blood and completing her transition into a full fledged vampire. Did she really want to do that?

But did she want to die?

"No," she muttered, helplessly staring at Stefan, then she looked over his shoulder and straight into Caroline's wide open eyes.

"Stop!" she heard her friend yell, and a confused looking Alaric turned around to look at her, and then out the window to Bonnie and Stefan, their hair getting tousled by the wind, their clothes fluttering around them.

"Stop!"

…

When Georgie had finally put the breaks on and the car slowed to a halt, Bonnie was shaking and slumped in on herself, just as Caroline's door flew open and she jumped up onto the back, glancing briefly at Enzo's and Damon's unconscious forms before zoning in on her best friend.

"Bonnie."

"I can't do this, Care! Enzo is… dying, and I… I just can't do this. I don't want _any_ of this! I don't want to lose him, I don't want to lose my magic again, I don't want to be a vampire-"

"Bonnie, hey…" Caroline exchanged a look with Stefan. He nodded at her, then made room, after giving Bonnie a quick peck on the forehead. Caroline mouthed a thank you at him as he was already busy adjusting Damon's position and checking his brother's breathing for the millionth time.

"Listen to me. It's gonna be alright. You are gonna be alright. Okay?"

But Bonnie wasn't having any of it. She was too scared and too smart for a quick consolation.

"Nothing is gonna be alright, Caroline! I don't know how to do this! I can't live without him any more. But I also can't be a vampire! I… can't," she cried. There were so many emotions battling inside of her and she felt a hunger grow, a hunger that she knew could only be satisfied by blood. She almost gagged at the thought.

"I know you're scared, sweetie," Caroline tried, gently stroking Bonnie's unkempt hair, "but it's gonna be alright. I promise you. Look at me. I didn't want to be a vampire, but now I am. And honestly, it's not so bad. It's-"

"I can't hurt people."

"You won't." Caroline looked at her, suddenly calm, because she needed to be, for her friend.

"I'll have to drink someone's blood."

"About that…" It was Georgie, Ric's strange new intern, and both girls looked over to where she was standing, next to her professor. "If you want to, I'm all yours," she continued, looking at Bonnie, and raising one finger, "that is, if you're only gonna have a sip or two. I'm not a martyr. Just to clarify." She grinned, and Caroline looked from her to Alaric, who was turning around, frowning.

"Are you sure about that?" Both he and Caroline asked at the same time, while Bonnie remained noticeably quiet.

"Yup yup. Bring it on. Just, do me a favor and someone make sure she'll not overdo it. Okay?"

They nodded as if in a trance, but then Bonnie stoically said, "No. Ric. Can we please get going again. We need to get them to the Armory."

"Bonnie…"

"No."

She had made up her mind, she wasn't going to do it. She'd have to say goodbye to Enzo and Damon after all. She swallowed hard at the thought, stifling a sob. First, she had to make sure they'd be okay, though...

Caroline's face scrunched up in a dark expression. She knew how determined her friend could be. She knew that Bonnie had always been so sceptical of all things vampire related. But she also knew that things had changed.

After Bonnie had spent time with Damon in the prison world, she'd been a different person. PTSD had troubled her, but there had been more. A deeper understanding of the nature of the world, the nature of humans and vampires alike. Bonnie hadn't been so hard headed and stubborn any more. She'd seen beyond that, the good in vampires, the bad in humans, the grains of salt, but also the sweetness of sugar.

And to that changed Bonnie, she needed to get through.

Caroline looked from her friend down to Enzo. He looked almost peaceful, unconsciousness finally freeing him from his pain for one respiteful moment. He was her friend too.

Caroline locked her gaze on Bonnie, who still shook her head. "We need to go," she was saying, "I'm not gonna do it."

Caroline's features softened. "It's okay to be scared, Bonnie. But look… - look at _him_ ," she gently but determinedly turned her friend's head to the side so she would see her boyfriend, "look at him. He didn't mean for you to die with his blood in your system. He meant to save you."

"I know that…"

"You and Enzo… you two are _epic_. You are meant to be together. Don't ruin your chance at happiness, Bonnie. Be _selfish_ for once! Think about yourself-"

"I _am_!"

Caroline shook her head, understanding. "No, you're not. You are - once again - looking out for other people. You are so worried about hurting someone else, hurting strangers, that you don't even see what's right in front of you. Do you even know what it would do to us if you died? Do you care?"

"I…" Bonnie's voice wavered, she was crying, sobbing, letting her head droop. She was a mess of emotions. She couldn't focus. With one hand she gently touched Enzo's cheek, his lips.

"It would break him," Caroline told her gravely, because she knew it to be true. If Enzo was going to survive this and Bonnie wasn't… "He might as well die now, then," she said, suddenly sounding cold and merciless, and she heard Stefan warningly say her name, but she pointedly ignored him, focusing only on Bonnie. "Go ahead," she continued, "Do you want to just kill him then? Don't let him fight through this horrible horrible pain for nothing, Bonnie," she said, and the shock and disgust and pain in her best friend's face made it hard for her to keep up her facade. But she knew sympathy wasn't getting her anywhere.

"What?!" Bonnie blurted disbelievingly, glaring at Caroline with a sudden fierce fire that secretly relieved her friend.

"After what, 70 plus years of torture, he was finally happy," she told Bonnie, " With _you_. - _Because_ of you. He's a different person, because of you. If you are gonna take that away from him again, what do you think he'll do? How much more do you think he can take?"

They glared at each other, oblivious to all their friends around them, an anger burning in Bonnie that almost made Caroline flinch away, but she had to be strong. She had to fight this fight. For Bonnie.

"You two deserve to be happy, Bonnie. You've given _everything_ for others. Now it's time to think of yourself - and I know that includes him. We can't lose you, either, Bon. I can't. Damon can't…"

Bonnie's cheeks were already wet from crying as new tears made their way down to her chin. She scrunched up her face, all anger suddenly gone. She averted her gaze, then focused on the man she loved, laying by her side. When she bent down to kiss him, affectionately caressing his face, he suddenly stirred a little, not much, and made a pained sound as a shiver crossed through his body.

"I love you," she whispered, her voice breaking, "I could never…" She laid her head against his neck, breathing him in, feeling his burning heat. He had a fever, the infection in his body was spreading fast, despite the locket's magic. It wasn't working as before. He was dying, but just then he clenched his jaw again, fighting. He wasn't giving up.

So neither was she.

Bonnie was appalled at Caroline's insinuations, yet she also knew that her friend was right. If she were to give up on life, Enzo would never get over that. He'd told her how she was the one thing that made it worth it that he'd had a life of abandonment, torture, and misery, up until he met her. If she took herself out of the equation, what would he have left?

She closed her eyes, her hands cupping his face, "For you, my love," she finally whispered. "For us. Because I can't let us go…" Then she rose and turned to face Caroline, then that girl, Georgie, and her tone was stony when she said, "If you're really willing…"

The girl just nodded. There was a darkness in her eyes that mirrored how Bonnie felt. She, too, must have had her own struggles in life. She, too, was on a road to doing lots of selfless things.

When Bonnie's hands left Enzo and she quickly hopped off the pick up, she was by Georgie's side quickly. The girl took a step back. "Whoa. Easy now," she said, and Bonnie suddenly smiled.

"I'm not gonna hurt you. I mean… I hope so,"she looked a little lost at Stefan, pointedly avoiding eye contact with Caroline, and he nodded at her. "I'll take care of it," he assured her, making his way down, too, with a quick look down on Damon.

"Will you also make sure that I… don't-"

He nodded before she had to finish. She was relieved. Then she watched as Stefan placed himself in front of Georgie, telling her, "I'm going to compel you to not feel pain."

"Okay?" She chuckled nervously, just as Stefan's voice took on a different tone and he said, "Bonnie is going to drink from you. You won't flinch. You won't feel a thing. When she's done, you'll go back to the car and rest." Then he nodded to Bonnie and she got ready.

It felt so natural, the sudden new impulse guiding her to the pulsing vein in Georgie's neck. Bonnie felt her face scrunch up as veins poked out, and then the urge to prick the skin and-

"Whoa whoa whoa. Hold up," Alaric said, suddenly anxious. "Maybe-" Caroline sped over to him, before he could continue. She pulled him to the side, shaking her head. "Don't," she hissed, "You have no idea how close Bonnie was to giving up her life. Thankfully… _thankfully_ , she just decided to complete the transition, and I'm not gonna let you jeopardize this."

He looked at her out of wide eyes, a bit surprised and almost intimidated by her vehemence. He held up his hands and took a step back, "Okay," he said, "It's just, since I'm her professor and all, maybe it should be me instead… but... I guess she made her decision, too." He nodded toward Georgie and then turned away with a sigh just as Bonnie finally sank her teeth into his student's neck.

...

She took a sip, then two, three.

"Bonnie, it's time to stop. You had enough," Stefan was saying, but Bonnie's urge was so strong, she couldn't stop yet. The taste of the blood was so strange, so enticing…

"Bonnie."

"Bonnie!" Caroline and Stefan both suddenly pulled her forcefully away while a worried Alaric guided Georgie over to the car. Stefan quickly came after them, giving the girl some of his blood.

"That was… close," Alaric mumbled and Stefan shot him a glance.

They both looked over to where the other girls stood by each other, quietly talking, before Bonnie tore away from her supposed best friend and jumped back on the truck, wiping her mouth.

"Can we leave now? We're running out of time."

"You'll have to sit in the front, Bonnie," Caroline told her with a look at the rising sun and earned herself another glare. It was gonna be a lot of work getting in her friend's good books again. She sighed, then walked over and handed Bonnie her own daylight ring. "Here. Have mine till you have your own," she said resignedly, then climbed back into the truck where Tyler still lay curled up, oblivious to what just happened. She pulled her jacket over her head to hide from the slowly brightening day.

At least an angry best friend was better than a dead one…

* * *

...

Elena's calls never seemed to make it through to Damon, and she got worried when the day eventually dawned and there was still no sign of any of her friends.

Maybe she should try Stefan's number, instead.

So she did…

…

He'd noticed the vibrating alarm of his phone a couple of times, but only once they had finally made it to the Armory and had just gotten their three injured set up in the infirmary unit, did he allow himself to check what was going on elsewhere in the world while he'd sat beside his half dead brother, hoping against hope that he would make it.

He frowned at the number. His own landline. He decided to call back anyways, wondering what - or rather, who - might await him on the other end.

"Damon? - Or Stefan?"

He knew that voice. He'd known it for a long time. He shook his head and swallowed, trying to get his voice to work. Katherine was gone, obviously. And so was… Elena.

But then, Bonnie had died; she had really died, in a car accident with him. And somewhere else, Elena's curse had been broken and she had woken up.

"Elena," he said hoarsely as he ruffled his hair tiredly. He looked down to where Damon was laying in a bed, all cleaned up and hooked to an IV with the antidote, a fresh thick bandage around his neck, one around his arm, still unconscious.

"Stefan! Thank god. It's so good to hear your voice. Is Damon-"

"We… I'll give you an address; can you meet me there?"

"Stefan?" She sounded worried. He knew she wouldn't let him off the hook before he'd given her something, so he said, "We are at a place called the Armory. Damon is alive, but he got bitten pretty badly by a werewolf."

"Oh my gosh," she made on the other and, her voice suddenly shaky. "Can I… where is that place?"

He gave her the details. "Elena. Be safe. No need to speed and endanger yourself, okay? Oh and," he suddenly realized she would want to know this, "Bonnie is a vampire now."

"She's alive?" Elena gasped, happily excited, and Stefan refrained from correcting her about the technicalities.

"We have a lot to catch up on," he simply said, then hung up.

He leaned over to his brother, gripping his uninjured hand. "Elena is up, Damon,"'he told him, hoping the message would get through, would make him wake up. "Elena is back."


	15. Family ties

_Thanks so much, Jade! Always good to get your feedback. lol ablution the Matt and Caroline "ship." I can understand that, though. Actually, I kinda liked Matt and Elena, too._

 _But honestly, I'm open to input here. To me, Caroline and Tyler just had such a great arch and so much more potential. I still love how she was there for him back when he turned into a werewolf..._

 _Anyways. On with a bit of a weird transitional chapter. I hope it isn't too hard or boring to read or too convoluted._

* * *

...

The room - or technically it was probably more of a cell, Bonnie figured - was illuminated by only a dim light, which made the machines monitoring Enzo's vital signs seem even more glaring. Like they wanted to rub it in that he was still not doing all that much better.

The locket hadn't helped more than a little bit, she wasn't sure why. Maybe Fenris was just too strong of a wolf for the magic of the locket. It couldn't be because of her being in transition already, could it? After all, she hadn't been able to actively generate magic the last time she had used it on Enzo.

Then again, maybe it had been doing something. He was still hanging on… And so was Damon. Against all odds.

Bonnie looked up at her boyfriend's now calm face from where she had lain down next to him, one arm gently draped around his head, the other clinging to his. With the help of some compelled medical personnel, they had been able to take care of his and the others' injuries, and that had included some rather liberal morphine dosages and what had been left of the werewolf antidote.

Stefan had said that Klaus was on his way; he'd actually talked to him again, telling the Original to come meet them out here, so close to his Mystic Falls home, and for some strange reason, Klaus had agreed.

Bonnie guessed it had a lot to do with Klaus' own reaction to Fenris being freed and with his bumpy at times, yet always deep relationship to Stefan.

But all that didn't concern her too much at the moment. She was fighting a new hunger in her, she was also trying to adjust to the overwhelmingly accelerated senses of a vampire, her quality of smell, vision, and hearing so much improved that she had a bad headache from just hearing the beeping of the heart monitor and the little light in the room.

She felt like someone had cut her loose and she was floating untethered, and Enzo was her only anchor. He kept her sane, even in his current unconscious state.

She buried her face against him and finally allowed herself to close her eyes for a bit. Just a short little moment.

* * *

…

Quaint as ever, Klaus thought as he drove through Mystic Falls and to Grove Hill, on his way to the Armory.

He'd hoped he'd never have to see that stupid building again, but when it appeared in front of him, he almost felt a little bit like coming home.

…

It had been in 1790. He'd been busy with other things when something - someone - had dragged him into this mess. A distant relative of a different kind.

The man had found him, he still didn't quite know how, though it must have had to do with his descent from witchcraft.

"We need your help," he'd said. A dark handsome stranger, very charismatic, and not at all impressed or intimidated by Niklaus Mikaelson.

"And why would I be interested in helping your endeavors?" He'd asked back, both of them casually lounging in their chairs at the nearby tavern, and both of them had taken a sip of their drinks before the stranger replied.

"Your father named you after his own, did you know that? Niklaus."

Klaus had narrowed his eyes, suddenly tense. Did the man know who his true father was?

"You know my father," he had said and it hadn't sounded like a question.

The dark tall man had raised his chin for a brief nod, "You could say that we are, in fact, distantly related," Klaus frown had deepened, but the man had been unperturbed, "Very distantly, yet it cannot be argued. Your father's father, Niklaus the first, if you will, and one of my ancestors were brothers. A very long time ago."

"And why would I believe you? Why would I even care?" Klaus had been slightly amused by the other one's seriousness and determination. But as usual, he had been willing to play along for a bit, to see what this was going to be about.

"If you so wish, we can prove our blood relationship through a simple spell," the man had paused briefly, scrutinizing his conversational partner as if to see how he'd react to the mention of that. When Klaus had seemed to still be on board, interested, if careful, the man had gone on to explain that they could go to any witch Klaus trusted and have her perform the spell.

"I can recommend Beatrice Bennett," he had told Klaus, "As I'm sure a man of your age and knowledge is aware of, the Bennett witches are known to be rather independent and not allied to any specific… powers," he said with a knowing wink, clearly hinting at their supernatural roots without openly saying the word.

Klaus had waved him off, the man's willingness to prove the relationship - however far removed - enough for him for the time being, though he had reserved himself the right to have it proven later down the road, if he should feel it becoming necessary.

"You see," the man had told him, swigging his cup, seemingly in thought, "the reason I'm here is to prevent the end of the world."

Klaus had smirked, but not said anything.

"With your heritage - on your mother's side… - I'm sure you're familiar with the old Norse myths. Ragnarök..."

"Of course. Gods will die, Loki's three children will bring on the end of everything. I was around when Snorri wrote his little story about that, yes." Klaus had been getting tired of the conversation by then, ready to be gone. He had looked around the little tavern, zoning out as the stranger had rambled on.

He'd seen a few men sitting close by the door, a women lifting her long skirt to let them see underneath, and they all broke out in loud cat whistles. The woman had been good looking enough...

"... but you will have to agree that the Fenris wolf doesn't sound as mythical as the other two. In fact, you and I, we are both his descendants."

Klaus had spilled a bit of his drink, suddenly alert again. He had glared at the man, "The Fenris wolf-"

"Is our link, Niklaus Mikaelson. Our shared forebear," the man had leaned over the table then, invading Klaus' personal space, making him bristle.

"What. Do. You. Want."

"He needs to be restrained, bound and caged, for whenever he roams free, havoc follows wherever he travels, and his kind… _we_ lose all control. He's been chained for centuries. In fact, my ancestor is quite likely his last direct offspring, conceived when he last walked this earth. That was over 600 years ago, in Ireland. Ever since then, he's been incarcerated. Brought from one prison to the next, to ensure no one will find him, no one free him. It's time for a new prison now, and I need your help to get him there.

"And what makes you think I'd be willing to do such a thing?"

"I've heard you are a family man, Niklaus, a man that would do everything to save his siblings' lives."

At the perceived threat, Klaus had jumped up quickly, throwing the table to the side as he moved. The tavern had grown eerily quiet as everyone had suddenly stopped what they had been doing to watch them.

"Who _are_ you?!" He had demanded, and the man had patted his pants where his drink had spilt on him and calmly said, "Not that it matters much, but my name is Abner St. John. And I guarantee you that I am not the threat. Fenris is. We are going to have to move him soon. The witch will seal his new prison shut with a spell, but it takes more strength and power to keep him in check, keep him from turning us all into monsters that don't care about familial ties anymore. I _need_ your help. You are the oldest, strongest, and closest family member of a much bigger family than you may have in mind. And we need you to help us all. If you don't, we will all grow rabid, our genes will get the best of us, the wolf side overruling everything else, and we won't stop at anything - at _anyone_ to calm our desire to hunt and kill…"

* * *

…

Klaus could still see the man in front of him. Abe, as he came to call him, after, when everything was over.

They had shared one last drink together and he'd been off, determinedly going in a different direction.

"As much as I enjoyed our little endeavor, I advise you to never seek out my help again. I don't want to hear from you - or anyone in your family - ever again," had been his parting words and Abe had grinned one of his rare grins, shaken his hand and said, "Likewise." Then, after a long pause in which they had still held each other's hands, seeing the ghastly wolf before them again, feeling him again, smelling him, so highly aware of their shared genetics, Abner had looked him in the eyes and had said, "Thank you."

Now here he was, back where he never wanted to be again, and he slowly slendered toward the big doors of the old building, and walked in with a cheery "Hello" on his lips.

But no one was there to welcome him, and he wasn't one for patiently waiting so he made his way through the long hallways, surprised at how lax they had been about security, because he had no difficulty getting in anywhere.

And these kids had tried to take on Fenris? He sighed with annoyed resignation. No wonder Stefan had called him all freaked out and crying like a baby.

"Hello?" he repeated as he walked down a floor lit with a too glaring light off of which a couple of doors led into rooms with big windows allowing him to view what was inside.

Or who.

There was Stef with his mess of a brother, and… the doppelgänger? He was just about to make his presence known to them and burst into the room, when his curiosity got the better of him and he risked a quick glance into the other rooms, speeding down the hallway, as if he was just a shadow.

Tyler Lockwood… with Caroline Forbes. He'd have to make another visit once he was done saving the Salvatores once again. His lip curled into a smile at the thought. He loved taunting the kid, and he loved flirting with the girl.

He glanced into the next room, this one barely lit, and slowed down until he came to a stop right in front of the window.

That witch again, Bonnie Bennett. He rolled his eyes. But she wasn't what had really caught his attention, what had made him startle. It was the other one. There was a man lying next to her, tall, dark and handsome, and something about him was so very familiar. He closed his eyes, sighing, then opened them again.

It was true. His mind had not played tricks on him just because he was at this place, in this building.

This was a descendant of Abner St. John. Seriously?

"Family," Klaus whispered to himself, snorting in disbelief and smirking. He shook his head, then went back to the first room slowly.

* * *

...

He heard voices. He wanted to open his eyes, _had_ to. But his body felt so sluggish, and everything was such a struggle.

Memory came back before the command over his limbs. The wolf had attacked them all. Stefan… Bonnie!

He wanted to jolt up, but a searing pain in his neck stopped him and he slumped back with a moan, but with his eyes finally open.

It took him a moment until his blurry vision was slowly clearing and he could make out the details of the room he was in, the bed he laid in, his brother sitting by his side, and then… Elena.

The image didn't want to process. Elena? Here? But… He felt a sudden excited happiness and relief wash over him, but at the same time a doomed feeling crept up from the back of his mind.

"Elena," he gasped, but with his throat still torn up, it only came out as a painful rasp. She looked at him, a warm but worried smile on her face, and he marveled at the fact that she looked just like she did when he'd last seen her.

As if time had stood still.

Which it hadn't for him…

He felt her lips on his, and he sort of but not quite managed to reciprocate the kiss. Stupid ailing body. He was not used to this.

"Damon… sh, it's alright," she said, her voice dark and soothing, just like he remembered.

He was in so much pain, yet here she was and her gentle touch seemed to make it all better already. There was hope for Damon Salvatore. When Elena Gilbert was back, there was still hope.

But the darkening gloom in his mind took form and he suddenly grabbed Elena's hand hard, his eyes wide and his throat worked hard to get out just one more word, a name. "Bonnie…"

"She's alright. Bonnie's alright." Elena was cry-laughing, the laughing part growing more prominent as she saw his perplexed stare, saw the wheels turn in his brain. "She's okay. Though I haven't even seen her yet. It's what Stefan tells me… I had to be with you first," she said, sadness creeping back into her tone, and he understood how torn she must have felt.

As torn as he had done just now. Sad, and worried and happy at the same time, and so very confused.

He caressed her face, lingering on her lips, then tried to speak without really using his voice. Even whispering hurt, though.

"You should go see her. I'll patiently wait, I promise…" he said and tried to smile, but it wasn't very convincing.

"I'll stay with him till you're back," Stefan said, smiling a way more sincere smile and Damon rolled his eyes at the thought. Still, he was grateful that his brother was there, that the beast hadn't hurt him, too.

Elena seemed to make up her mind, then she leaned down real close to Damon, but without aggravating his injuries and whispered, "Okay. But I'll be right back. You hang in there, you hear me?"

He grinned in answer, raising a thumb up. Like an idiot. He rolled his eyes at himself, frustrated, his mouth making a thin line.

* * *

…

Elena walked over to the door just as Klaus Mikaelson entered the room. "Hello, doppelgänger," he greeted her, "I sure did not expect your lovely presence here."

She stepped back a little, wary, but by then Stefan had already appeared by their side, nodding to Klaus. "Thanks for coming," he said quietly, giving Elena a look to signal her that she should leave, that it was okay. She frowned at him, then looked over to Damon once more and walked out the door.

"Things have changed here," Klaus said, strolling through the room with his hands behind his back, inspecting the medical equipment and the lock system as he went. "All this," he waved a hand to indicate the whole infirmary unit, "didn't used to be here."

"You have been to this place," Stefan realized, "I should have known."

Klaus smiled at him. "When you've been around as long as I have, Stefan, it is to be expected that you make yourself familiar with most, if not all, supernaturally charged places. As a matter of fact, I have been here when the big bad that _you_ let out," he pointed a daggerlike finger at Damon, "was first transferred here and locked up. And _I_ was wise enough to never look back. Until now. You see," he sat down on the chair Elena had vacated just a minute earlier, and made himself comfortable, crossing his legs, "He was weak back then, weak from centuries of incarceration, starvation. Even then it was not an easy feat to seal him inside the vault. Imagine what effort it will take us now."

"So you're here to help?"

"You begged, and here I am. I'm a philanthropist at heart, Stefan." He smirked and both Salvatores rolled their eyes. Klaus casually put his wrist up to his mouth, and grinned at them both before opening a vein, then shoving it against a startled Damon's lips. "Have a sip, young Salvatore. I should warn you, though. There's nothing that can completely heal a wound inflicted by the Fenris wolf. My blood is as good as it gets for an antidote, but his bite is vile. With time and a little dose of luck, you'll get almost as good as new, but there'll be some serious scarring, and possibly lifelong pain."

"You need to seriously work on your bedside manners," Damon soberly stated, wiping his mouth with his good arm, then looking to Stefan. His brother only shrugged.

"You'll have to give some of your precious crimson liquid to my friend Enzo in the other room," Damon went on, cursing his body when his voice broke, "You can save yourself the trouble of bringing up the lifelong pain, though. He's as used to it as you are," Damon said, bis throat closing from the strain and he had to stop talking to cough. Stefan was by his side quickly, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Take it easy, brother."

Klaus was watching them, strangely mesmerized by the way they interacted. He even felt a pang of jealousy and had to avert his gaze when that threatened to erupt out of him. "Well, since I have a daughter now, and there's no place we could possibly run from this, I'm willing to help, yes. But," he glared at Stefan as he continued, "it'll be on you to lure him back here - or, if you prefer - another location with equal 'housing' opportunities. And once this is done, none of you will ever set foot in New Orleans - or, make that Louisiana - again."

"You have yourself a deal."

"Not so easy. You should know what this entails. To trap him, we will need a good hearted volunteer to be entombed with the wolf. A true good person. And we will need the help of his last living son."

Stefan raised his eyebrows and huffed at the news. He knew that none of them qualified as "true good people." It would not be easy to find one and basically sacrifice them. But the truly challenging part was the last bit. Fenris had a living son?

"A son who is still alive..."

"You'd be surprised. In fact, you are currently talking to none other than the great-grandchild of the wolf that'll end the world. Fancy that." Klaus bit his fingernail and grinned at Stefan as if it all was not actually a big deal.

"And how are we supposed to find that… that son?"

"He's roaming around here somewhere, I'm sure. He's very protective of his pack. Has always been. I don't know what name he goes by when he's not in his true form, but as a wolf, he's known as Faelan. - We should maybe have a talk with your little friend in the other room," Klaus suggested, vaguely pointing," he should know a little more…"

"Enzo?!" Damon gasped out and almost choked on a cackle.

Klaus stared at him angrily. "I'm so glad this is funny to you, _Damon_. But yes, Enzo, if that is his name. He's a St. John, is he not?"

It was Damon's turn to sober up, and he frowned at the Original warily.

* * *

…

Elena stood in the hallway, staring into Bonnie's room, when Caroline showed up at her side and gave her a sideways hug. "It's so good to have you back," the blonde said, her voice hushed as if they had to be quiet down here. Elena grabbed her friend's hands and smile-frowned at her.

"Is Tyler…"

"He'll be okay. At least he's not a vampire, right?" Caroline tried to joke, but then she realized what she'd said, and to whom, and she apologized quickly.

"Do you think we will have to wait with the cure till Damon is completely healed?" Elena suddenly asked, and Caroline thought about that for a moment. She hadn't even remembered that that had been Elena's and Damon's plan.

"Actually...," she had an epiphany and said, "you might be on to something. With the antidote in his system, maybe being human rather than a vampire could override the wolf venom and help him heal quicker. Alaric might know more. We need him to look into that!" Her excitement grew and she was ready to sprint up top and see whether Alaric had returned from the mysterious errand he'd had announced as soon as they had reached the Armory.

"Caroline," Elena said, not letting go just yet, and her friend gave her a smile. "Thank you."

"Of course!" Caroline's face scrunched up with affection and she gave Elena a quick peck on the cheek. "I should get going. Tyler is asleep for now but I don't want him to be alone down here for too long when Klaus is around."

"So you've seen him?"

Caroline rolled her eyes, then sighed. She wasn't fooling anyone. That stupid Mikaelson still got to her, still pushed her buttons, even when he hadn't actually done anything just yet. Would she ever be completely over him?

Elena chuckled, then did her friend a favor and changed the topic quickly. "Before you go," she said, "what is up with that?" And she pointed to Bonnie lying next to Enzo St. John as if those two were an item now, and she chuckled at the mere thought. "Bonnie isn't somehow-"

"They've been together for a while now. It's a long story. A strange one."

"And that works out?"

Caroline chuckled at Elena's expression. "They're really really adorable together actually. You'll see. I mean, just look at them…" she trailed off and stared at her other best friend for a while, lost in thought. Elena watched her, then let her gaze wander from Caroline to what her friend was looking at, Bonnie next to Enzo, her head close to his, her arms draped around him.

They did look adorable together. But really? Enzo?

She sighed, then gave Caroline another hug and said, "I'm just glad I get to see her again."

"She'll need our help, you know? She's a vampire now. And you know Bonnie-"

"I thought I did. The Bonnie I knew would have never in a million years hooked up with a vampire, though, and now look at her..."

"Sometimes a million years go by as fast as three years," Caroline said, smiling. Then she excused herself, "I'll leave you to it. I'll go talk to Alaric about the cure. - Do me a favor?"

Elena nodded, "Of course."

"Don't let Klaus get in there," she pointed to the room in which she had just left Tyler to sleep.

Elena smiled at her. "I'll do what I can."

The two girls exchanged one last look, then the blonde sped off.

* * *

…

She knocked a few times, a light sound, but she saw Bonnie stir and sit up abruptly anyways.

"Elena?!"

They smiled at each other, then Elena slowly stepped into the dim room.

"It's weird, isn't it? Takes some getting used to," she pointed to her eyes, then the light. "Everything is so enhanced, so sensitive… I promise it'll get easier."

Bonnie had disentangled herself from Enzo, which had made him stir a little, and with a quick kiss, she hopped off the bed and over to her friend.

"I missed you sooo much!" She said, fresh tears welling in her eyes. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"I know," Elena choked out, it was her time to start crying, and both girls fell into each other's arms.

"So you've heard I'm a vampire now," Bonnie stated, once they had let go of each other and cleaned away their tears as best as they could, both giggling as they went.

Elena nodded, then jerked her head in the direction of the bed. "I've been gone a long time, huh?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes but laughed. "Too long," she said, "it's all in my diary for you, but yeah, Elena, meet my boyfriend Enzo St. John. I know, I know, what's gotten into me, right? But I really love him. And you'd be surprised-"

"It's okay, Bonnie. You really don't have to explain anything to me, okay? I mean… I want to hear all the details and STAT - but it's not like you need to justify your love to me. Look who you're talking to: Elena Gilbert, the one with the vampire boyfriend that has gone off the rails more than she'd like to remember."

The friends smiled at each other awkwardly, then Bonnie leaned forward to hug the other girl once more.

"Gosh, you don't know how much I've wanted to tell you every last bit of what was going on. I promise we'll play catch up. But right now, we really need to do something to make our guys get better again. And to catch the big bad wolf - and please tell me that I don't have to fill you in on that whole story as well…"

Elena shook her head, pressing her lips together. "No," she muttered, "Stefan has already done that…"

* * *

…

Alaric was on his way back when his phone rang once more. He really hoped it wasn't another nightmare that had gone down somewhere when he carefully answered the call.

"'Hello?" he said warily, peeking into his rear view mirror to see his two passengers stare daggers at him. He grimaced apologetically.

"Ric? Where the hell are you? We wanted to go check on the girls and now Alison just brought them over to the Armory-"

Caroline. He sighed. "About that…," he tried to interrupt her and he could tell that she immediately caught on to what he'd done.

"You told her to."

"I thought they'd be safer with us-"

"You told her to bring our girls into the same vicinity as a werewolf, an original hybrid and a bunch of hurt vampires that could either die or go rabid at any second. Not to mention-"

"Caroline, I-"

" _Not to mention_ ," she repeated, speaking over him, "that there is an evil 'über-wolf' out there that could kill us all and whose last home has been where our twins now are!"

Alaric rubbed his forehead briefly, then put both hands firmly back on the steering wheel, talking to her through his earphones. He tried to whisper, but it wasn't really possible.

"The wolf is exactly the reason why they should be with us, Caroline!" He hissed, exasperated, then glanced back again briefly. "Look, before you get even madder-"

"You don't even-"

"I got someone in the car with me that may be able to help with at least some of our problems. Tell Bonnie I'm bringing Maeve O'Reilly over. I need to go now, Caroline. We can talk once I'm there. Which shouldn't be much more than an hour."

"Maeve.."

"O'Reilly. Bonnie will know. Or Enzo."

"Okay. Ric?"

He sighed, but waited for her to say what she needed to say.

"Be safe."

Her tone, her words surprised him. He swallowed, an ache spreading inside of him. "You too," he said, then hung up.

...


	16. Genetics

_This one is for you, kpmindc! Thanks!_

* * *

...

When Enzo's consciousness returned, he felt himself slowly spiral back to the surface. His senses picked up strange smells, muffled noises that gradually became more recognizable, and finally, images.

He had opened his eyes, squinting a little, although it was comparatively dark in the small room. He'd been in here before, he realized with a half turn of his head. They had reattached his hand down here. He flinched a little at the memory.

Then his gaze fell on the girl that had cut that hand off to begin with, all those years ago, and he smiled a small smile.

"Heyyyy…" she made, and was by his side quickly. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just collided with a ginormous mouth full of daggerlike teeth…" he said, his voice sounding so hoarse as if he hadn't used it for a while. He felt Bonnie's kiss on his forehead, her hand gently stroking his arm, and he grabbed it with surprising strength, possessively, to pull her close and kiss her. She almost toppled on top of him - which would have totally been worth the pain, he found - but she managed to catch herself at the last minute by stretching out her other arm to grab the bedrail on the other side of him.

"Oh my gosh, Enzo!" she gasped, exasperated, and shot him a glare just as he pulled her down and finally felt her lips against his, felt the heat in her body against his cold chest, smelled the orange blossom shampoo in her hair, and a hint of blood and dirt lingering from the accident.

"I love you, Bonnie Bennett, did you know that?" He muttered against her, and he felt her hand grapple for more support as she started giggling.

"Enzo, we…"

He stifled a moan when she shifted her weight to push herself up against him and grazed his injured side, and she looked at him curiously. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"Only by putting distance between us again, love," he said, and she nudged him gently.

"You're so cheesy when you're not quite yourself."

"Who says I'm not myself?" He said and wanted to pull her back to him, but she wiggled away, slightly… embarrassed? And he finally caught on to the fact that they were not as alone as he'd thought.

A shadow emerged from over by the door just as Bonnie informed him, "Enzo, Elena is back. - Elena, meet my boyfriend."

He tried to sit up a little, which made him flinch and Bonnie scolded him, but he did it anyway.

"Elena," he said, warily. Of course he knew how important Elena was to Bonnie. And to Damon. To basically everyone in his small circle of "friends and people he hung out with or ran into on a somewhat regular basis." But he wasn't sure what he thought about that and how he should feel about her return.

It underscored one thing, however: Bonnie had died, and returned to him as a vampire. He gave her hand a squeeze.

"Enzo. It's… good to see you, I guess?" Elena said and they both grinned at each other awkwardly. Looked like the Gilbert girl felt as weird about him as he did about her. She pointed behind herself, to the door, saying, "I'll give you guys some privacy…" but her voice trailed off when she saw Klaus enter just at that very moment.

"Klaus… What do you want here?" Bonnie growled, and Enzo straightened even more, ignoring the protest of his body.

"Bonnie Bennett. I hear you are a vampire now," he said, and Enzo could see his girl tense. He heaved himself over to her more, preparing to get off the bed and do what little he could to protect her, if necessary. Which would be pretty pathetically little…

The Original didn't seem to be aware of any hostility in the air, however, and came a little closer, and Enzo suddenly had the feeling of being sized up and calculated.

Over by the door, Elena walked backwards mouthing she'd go get Stefan, just as she bumped into him and stumbled. The younger Salvatore prevented her from falling and she clung to his arm for a moment.

Klaus swirled around, grinning at her and Stefan widely. "I see there's still the same… energy between the three of you," he said, winking, and he earned himself a glare.

"You are here to be civil, remember?" Stefan reminded him, then looked straight at Enzo, making him frown. "He told us something you need to hear," he said and Enzo cocked his head. Bonnie was standing with her side pressed against the bed, one hand still on his arm. She looked so fierce and so protective that he smiled to himself. He wasn't used to having someone looking out for him like that, wordless, but with so much fire.

He sighed, forcing himself to focus on the men in the room. "Is that so?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. He noticed how part of him wasn't really there, yet. Was buried under pain and something else.

Bonnie gave him a look, encouraging and warm, and so full of love that for a moment he felt frozen. Because sometimes it still didn't quite register with him that this was real. That he got to be so happy. With her.

Her hand on his arm, she whispered his name, pulling him back from wherever he'd just gone.

Just in time for Klaus to say, "You do look marvelously like him. To think I've never even crossed path with you before." He shook his head and laughed at Enzo's puzzled frown.

"Oooh," Klaus made, feigning to just now realize something, "that's right. Damon did just fill me in on your little… predicament. Poor little abandoned boy that never even really got to know his family, their name all he had, and yet it took over a hundred years for him to be reunited with them - and _still_ he didn't learn much about his true origin."

"Stop playing your games, Klaus," Bonnie said angrily, just as Enzo forced his legs off the bed and she suddenly whirled around and turned her attention back to him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" She scolded him, eyes fiery, and he gave her a look in reply, raising his eyebrows briefly.

He wasn't gonna just chill in bed while this man, an Original, taunted him about his past. Two could play that game. But he had to clench his jaw at the intensifying pain and put a protective hand against his torn chest. He knew he was being stupid, that Bonnie had a point, but he couldn't just lay there. He'd been forced to do that too often.

"I hear it took _you_ a while, too," Enzo told Klaus, glaring at him with a half smirk.

Klaus actually laughed, a true amused laugh. "You don't even know just how funny this is," he said, before the smile vanished off his face and he blankly stared at Enzo.

"Klaus." Stefan's tone was a warning.

"Alright. This somber atmosphere is becoming tedious. And we have other things to focus on… Mr. St. John, you may find this hard to believe, but I am here as a friend. And to show you my courtesy, I got this for you." He had taken a cup from Damon's room that he'd filled with some of his blood once Damon had been given his fill. He now walked over uncomfortably close, his nose almost touching Enzo's, then he grinned, shoved the cup at Enzo, and slowly backed off again.

"Cheers!" He said. "And now for the fun part."

"There's a fun part?" Enzo rolled his eyes, but did take the cup and drank once he saw Stefan nod his head.

"You have no idea…"

Bonnie rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed, but Enzo shook his head at her, silently asking her to wait. He could tell she wasn't happy, but she kept her anger in, for him. He knew she was worried about him and he couldn't suppress a small smile as his hand tightened around hers.

"Has anyone ever told you just how adorable you two are?" Klaus mocked , and now Bonnie couldn't hold back anymore and hissed, "You can consider yourself lucky that I can't use my magic anymore."

"Bonnie," Enzo quietly said, and she huffed out in annoyance but remained quiet.

"Found yourself a feisty one there," Klaus said, "I can respect that."

Enzo just stared at Klaus in answer, not gracing him with a reaction, but Bonnie beside him bristled, and he pulled her a little closer against him.

There was a strange energy in the room, one that Enzo couldn't quite read. But he was tired of the man stalling, and tired of pretending he was feeling better and stronger than he actually was. He knew he couldn't keep up appearances for much longer so he hoped the man would get his stupid spiel over sooner rather than later.

"Klaus, if you want to play games, I'll give Enzo the information. Then we can all move on and concentrate on our end-of-the-world problem." Stefan had apparently already lost his patience. Enzo reigned in a smirk.

Klaus glared at him. "Fine, Ripper. Ruin what little fun this whole affair gives me. - Mr. St. John, your wish has been granted, I'm here to fill in some blanks in your pedigree. - I happen to have kept taps on them to a degree."

Enzo frowned at him. He wasn't sure what to make of that information. Why would someone like Niklaus Mikaelson know anything about his folks?

"Your family - the St. Johns - are another branch off of an old family. I told Stefan here about how my life is interconnected with that of our dear Fenris. He's my great-grandfather as it is. Then again, all of us with the werewolf gene got that through some connection to the big bad wolf. In that sense I'm not that special… But we all know _why_ I am: because I am also a hybrid; and you, my friend," he started to beam, "you are one too."

Enzo snorted.

* * *

…

…

After Klaus had met Abner, and after they'd discussed some of their shared "interests;" after they'd caged the wolf, and before they had parted ways forever, there had been a moment in which they had just sat down and simply talked about their families.

About how family was both your doom and your deliverance, what made you sad and tore your heart out, then put you back together, taking away your pain.

Abner had told him how the St. John family had mingled with another family when his father had married a girl from the next village over.

She had been a beauty, of Irish descent, and he'd fallen for her deeply. She'd kept her dark secret from him until their first - and only - child was born: Abner. When she had told her husband how she'd inherited a gene that could potentially turn her into a wolf upon the full moon he had at first not believed her, then he'd shunned her.

She'd had to pack a bag and take her child - for he no longer considered it his - and leave that very night, never to return, or he had threatened to kill her.

Abner had looked at Klaus then, and for the first time the Original had seen some raw emotion flicker across the other man's face. Even then, before he had become a father himself, he'd felt sorry for the small child that now sat across from him, all grown up.

From that day on, Abner's mother had done everything to raise her child away from hateful people. She had taught him about his dark genetics and how he'd have to do everything in his power to be a good, kind person, and to never trigger the wolf in him. She'd also implored him to keep it a secret. And she'd kept him far from her own family which she had begun to consider a danger as they didn't abhor their heritage as much as she did, and allowed the triggered members to stay among them.

She couldn't have that. So they had left and gone back to where they once had come from: Ireland. From there, he'd made his way to England once he was a grown man and had lost his mother to a sudden heart attack.

He had met a woman, married her, they had had children. He had been happy there. He had decided to raise them to be good people, but without the threat of their genetics looming over them. He'd simply omitted that part. Hadn't even told his wife.

And then, one day, he had returned to the new world after all. Something had been pulling him, telling him he needed to go for a while, and finally, he'd given in. He'd never even said goodbye to his wife, to his children, he'd just left. Like his father before him, he'd abandoned his family, and he had hated himself for it.

He'd found his relatives, had stalked them for a while, observed them, befriended them, never once revealing who he was.

He'd offered to help them when they told him about the need for a new home for the wolf that could ruin them all.

Which had led him there, sitting with Klaus, telling him his story.

…

It didn't take them all much to fill in a few more blanks. The wife, abandoned in England, unaware of the werewolf heritage of her husband and children...

How they'd luckily escaped the curse for generations.

Maybe Enzo's father had found out about it around the time he and his brother had found the vault, and had built the Armory. Or maybe even before…

Maybe that had been his reason to abandon his child: to keep him from getting entangled in the dangerous matters they were dealing with, to keep him from stumbling over the truth.

No one could know.

But Lorenzo St. John had grown up with his father's last name only, and none of his father's family. And he'd never found out about his true heritage, about the fact that he carried a dangerous gene.

He'd never killed anyone, never triggered the gene. And then Lily Salvatore had found him, and turned him into a monster of another kind. He'd killed then. Many times. But maybe, since a vampire was technically dead, it hadn't counted. The werewolf gene lying dormant for eternity...

Now here he was…

And Klaus was fascinated, enthralled. He was no longer the only true hybrid.

There was another one.

How small the world could be….

* * *

…

When Tyler came to, he jolted upright and jumped out of bed so quickly as if there was still someone after him.

Only once he was crouching on the floor, did it register with him where he was. The Armory's infirmary. He swallowed, then slowly stood up to his full height. He looked down at his clothes, some gray sweatpants and a plain white T that he didn't remember wearing before.

He'd been out, following Caroline's tracks…

He'd been talking to Matt on the phone before, his best friend keeping him updated on the goings on in Mystic Falls, and on the lives of his friends. He'd talked a lot about a girl, Penny, and how Ty had to come to their wedding. But first, Matt had to find the courage to propose.

Because Tyler hadn't ever dared to ask, Matt had casually dropped a few pieces of info on Caroline here and there.

Until one day, she'd called him, out of the blue...

Tyler checked the monitors around him for a clue on what time it was. Morning. Good. He detached the IV that was stuck in his arm and that was when he noticed the pain that was still throbbing in his leg. He flinched as he remembered how the beast had torn into him.

He'd never seen a wolf like that before. Big, muscular, his snout somewhat longer and wider than a regular wolf's, and the teeth… A shiver ran through him at the memory.

But the worst had been its eyes. Dark, and deep, and without any kind of emotion. Not even hate or bloodlust. Just… nothing. And it had set something loose in him, he'd fought more rabid than ever before in his life and it had scared him. After, when he'd lain wounded on the ground, transformed back into a man.

What he could have done to his friends, had that feeling prevailed. Had he not gotten wounded. The thought made him feel sick.

He needed to check on the others, see where Caroline had gone. But when he opened the door and slowly limped across the hallway, he froze when his gaze fell on the occupants of the other room - or rather, just one of them.

His freaking nemesis. Klaus Mikaelson.

He quickly hid out of sight and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He clenched his teeth, so hard the prominent vein on his forehead began to stand out. He felt his heart beating too fast. His hands in fists, he fought the urge to barge into the room and start what would only be a losing fight.

He tried to breathe through his anger, forcing himself to slowly count upwards.

When he'd managed to calm himself enough to function, he forced himself to run, out of that particular wing of the building and up, then over to the door. By the time he reached the big entrance hall, his leg was angrily revolting, and his limp had become a drag. But he pushed on. He needed to get out, away from Klaus. Just out.

As fate would have it, an upset and anxious looking Caroline came through the big front entrance just as he was about to open it. They almost banged into each other.

"Tyler!"

"Caroline," he hissed, one hand against the door, the other holding his leg, and he saw her gaze land on it and frown at him.

"You need to lie down and rest," she chided him and he let his head drop.

"I'm fine," he gritted out. But it was too obvious that he wasn't. And not just physically. Caroline extended a hand, her soft touch on his arm almost making him flinch away because he wasn't used to being touched like that anymore. Certainly not by Caroline Forbes.

"You really aren't."

"I can't stay here."

There was understanding in her expression as she smiled at him affectionately. He glared at her, feeling annoyingly transparent.

"It's Klaus, isn't it? Did he do anything?"

"Are you serious?" he asked, his hackles raised, but Caroline was quick to amend, "I mean right now."

Tyler rolled his eyes, he was too tired to do this right now.

"I'm gonna go now, Care. Don't stand in my way."

His tone was cold, but when she surprised him by opening the door wide for him, he faltered for a moment. Then she said, "I'll drive you over to Matt's," which of course used to be his family's…, "Come on."

And she carefully draped an arm around him so he could put some of his weight on her. He looked at her warily. He knew her too well - at least he'd known her once - and he was sure she wouldn't just let it go so easily.

For now, though, he was glad that he didn't have to fight her, didn't have to try and walk much further.

* * *

…

"Almost there," Alaric was telling his passengers, drumming on his steering wheel as they went until Georgie's penetrating glare made him finally stop.

"What?" he mouthed, and she made a face at him.

"Seriously, Prof? I mean, I've just given blood to one of your friends and deserve to chill with, like, an orange juice on the couch somewhere. Instead I stupidly agreed to help you persuade these guys to come with us to the Armory and talk about how to save the world. And you decide to friggin' get on everyone's nerves by drumming like a madman? What is the matter with you?"

Ric grinned awkwardly. "Okay, message received. Though, may I remind you that I offered to drop you off at your home? So it's kinda your own fault, isn't it?"

"Your lovey dovey banter is really cute and all," a voice from the backseat suddenly interrupted them and Alaric sighed, "but we may have a bit of a problem."

"And what would that be…" Ric's question ended as a breath when suddenly he saw the dark shadows in the woods to their left side approach, fast. "What the hell," he muttered, puzzled. The next moment he had to push hard on the brakes and sent the cars wheels squealing into a stop.

Wolves.

How was that possible? He wondered and startled when the woman in the backseat seemed to answer his question, even though he was sure he'd only thought it.

"They're not werewolves."

"Hence the daylight walking," Georgie concluded, nodding, but Alaric still didn't follow. There were so many of them, teeth bared, they had jumped onto the road, zoning in on them. Too many. Too fast.

What should he do?

"Just go. Drive," the woman commanded, and he gave her a look, silently asking if she was sure.

"Do it. They are not invincible. They're under his spell. He's building an army. They're part of it. But he can only corrupt nature to a certain extent. Drive."

Just as he was trying to make up his mind, they heard shots outside, yells, and he saw Matt Donovan's police car race to their aid. Through the windshield, they exchanged a look, before Alaric did as the woman had told him. Eyes closed, he accelerated quickly, wincing at the sounds of yelping bodies strewn to the side. "Did I mention yet how much I love your car?" he told his intern, and she grinned at him. "About ten or twenty times? Yeah."

...

Thankfully, the attack wasn't a real attack. Not a real danger, and they made it over to the Armory unscathed.

"It was just for show," the woman told him, and he rolled his eyes. Of course it was. He wished she wouldn't be so eager to bring up all the obvious stuff.

They exited the car, and he briefly checked his phone, seeing that Caroline had tried calling him a couple of times. He grimaced and typed in a quick message. "Back. TTY in a min."

But when they went into the big building, it became apparent that Caroline wasn't actually there anymore. He made a face. She was probably mad at him and had gone over to see their girls without him.

He had to focus on other things before he could call her, though, so he went deeper into the Armory with his little troupe, in search of the others.

He found them all - minus poor Damon - in Enzo's "room," and going by their faces, they had just dealt with their own little bit of stunning information. He cocked his head a little, squinting into the dark.

Klaus was there, too. Of course Ric had known he'd come, but it was still a surprise in a way. The two men sized each other up briefly, giving a nod, before Ric addressed them all, "Sorry to interrupt," he said, "is this a bad time?"

"Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I'm certainly ready for a bloody change of topic," Enzo said, grimacing in a way that made Alaric frown. The vampire was sitting up, but leaning far forward, one hand clenched around the edge of his bed, the other pressed against his side, and he was so pale that if he hadn't been a vampire Alaric would have thought he'd pass out any second. Bonnie seemed to be worrying about just that, though, as she had both her hands placed on her boyfriend, mumbling something to him that Ric didn't catch.

"Okay, then," Alaric said, sensing a strange atmosphere, and eager to get this all over with before the tension grew even more. He motioned for the others to come in, too, Georgie was first, ushering in their two guests.

He saw the woman start bristling when she spotted Enzo, and he quickly grabbed her arm.

"This here is Maeve O'Reilly. She informs me that you," he jerked his head in Enzo and Bonnie's direction, "have something of hers. A locket? She'd like to have that back. In return…"

Bonnie moved forward a little, just in front of Enzo, crossing her arms defensively as she did, "One of your pack attacked and almost killed him-"

"Because he _stole_ it!" The redhead shouted angrily and Alaric had a hard time keeping her in check.

"Ladies," he said weakly, but Georgie shot him a glance, then said, "The vampire fucked up, we get that, and I'm sure he learned his lesson. But you're here to offer help, remember? The locket in exchange for helping to capture Fenris?" She turned around to face the others, "You see, the locket is a family talisman, it's been in the family for centuries."

Maeve glared at them all when she said, "It's our protection as much as yours. We keep it in the family and our pack will keep from attacking random strangers," she gave Enzo a hostile look, and he grinned at her.

"Sorry, love. It wasn't my idea."

The werewolf witch had caught Bonnie's attention. She took a step closer, eyeing the other woman and her companion, a younger man, about her own age, with unruly dirty blonde hair. She figured they were both part of the same pack, but still wondered why he was there. Maybe as protection for Maeve.

"You try to keep them safe," Bonnie stated, and the witch first glared at her again, but when she saw Bonnie's expression soften, so did hers.

"Yes, Maeve allowed, "them and other innocent people."

Bonnie handed her the locket that she'd kept on her ever since first using it on Damon and Enzo. She weighed it in her hand briefly before putting it in Maeve's, then looked the other woman in the eyes. "It has healing powers, too," she said, "It helped save Enzo before, but it's not helping as much this time around. It barely did anything for Enzo, and I don't think it worked at all on Damon -he's Stefan's brother," she explained.

Maeve's eyes had widened, she was staring over at Enzo. "That's not possible," she whispered, but it was Klaus turn to casually slender over to her, tip her chin, and smirk at her, "Ah, love, you weren't here when I just explained all this, but it's not as shocking as you think. In fact, young Enzo here is a distant relation of yours."

"He's a vampire!" Maeve spat, appalled and probably thinking Klaus was making fun of her, but the Original remained calm and civil.

"Yes, yes he is. But he's also from the same blood line as yours."

"Faelan would have known that!" she hissed, and the way she spoke that name made them all, including Klaus, stop in their tracks. He scrutinized her, then grabbed her throat, hard.

"Klaus!" Ric and Stefan warned him simultaneously, but he continued to hold the woman, eyeing her warily.

"So you've spoken with him recently."

Maeve just stared at him and he tightened his grip, which made Maeve's companion jolt out of his passiveness into an attack. Klaus deflected him easily and sent the man flying, banging hard into the wall. But he shook his head and slowly tried to get back up.

"Jack, don't," Maeve ordered him, still facing Klaus, her hands on his arm, and he grinned at her.

"Klaus, stop!" Stefan demanded, and grabbed him angrily. But Klaus shook him off, though he also loosened his grip on the woman. She took a deep breath and a step away from him.

"Is he near?" Klaus asked, and Maeve nodded.

"He knows he'll be needed to cage his father. And he has agreed to do so. In exchange for the man that almost jeopardized the fate of his whole pack." She looked pointedly to Enzo and he rolled his eyes, sighing, then finally decided it wasn't worth it to keep pretending, and slumped down on the bed again, heavily.

"Go ahead, love. Bring him here, since _I_ won't be able to go anywhere for a bit," he mildy said, almost bored, and Bonnie looked at him exasperatedly, then back at the witch, who had walked over to "Jack" to check on him.

"You're not getting him. The deal was the locket for your help-"

"That was _my_ deal. I don't negotiate for Faelan."

"Well," Bonnie gritted out, "then tell _Faelan_ to go fuck himself!"

Enzo smirked at the heat flushing her cheeks, but was smart enough not to let her see it. She was so angry, and he had to admit that she was super hot when she was this protective.

Maeve raised her eyebrows, then turned around with a shakily standing Jack, "If this is your last word," she said, casually looking at the others before walking toward the door.

But Klaus was there already, holding it shut by leaning against it. "I love me a feisty witch," he said, "and I do like you, Maeve. So I'll let you walk out of here with your little… puppy in a minute. But so me a favor in return. Tell Faelan Niklaus Mikaelson sends his regards. Tell him I said he should ask himself why he couldn't kill the stranger that he wants us to deliver. And make sure you mention that the end comes for all of us."

With that, he shoved himself off the door and let her pass through.

And she did. Without another word, she walked past them all and out of the building, and Alaric was livid.

"What the hell?!" he said, "I worked so hard to get her to comply and help us and you-"

Klaus was in his face by then, looking up, his aggression palpable, but it was Bonnie who replied to him before he could finish his sentence.

"Did you not just hear what she said? She wants us to sacrifice Enzo-"

"No, she doesn't. She-"

"She said Faelan wants Enzo-"

"We don't even know what for!" Alaric shouted against her, annoyed, and was surprised when Enzo calmly came to his aid.

"It's alright, love. If it's me or the rest of the world, I'll always choose the latter. _You_ ," he added pointedly, forcing her to look at him, when she tried to lower her head. "Maybe he just wants a chat? After all, we are, apparently, family, if we are to believe what Nik here said. - And we all know how loving my family generally is," he smirked unhappily, but then mustered a smile for her.

"No," she pouted. "I've been selfless for as long as i can remember. I've sacrificed everything for my friends, my family, _the_ _world_ , over and over again. Caroline was right. It's time to be selfish for once. I'm not gonna let you sacrifice yourself, I'm not gonna let anyone take you away from me. We've been through enough!" She hadn't realized that she had started crying until she felt his thumb trace her tears, and she snorted down a sob, trying to keep her remaining countenance.

Bonnie was leaning against him then, and he shot a glance over her shoulder, catching Elena's gaze, and she nodded at him, quietly motioning for the others to give them some time alone.

* * *

…

When the door finally closed behind the last one of them, Bonnie was still leaning against him, arms crossed in front of her, as if to protect herself.

"Bonnie," he said, his face against her, his hands gently working to uncross her arms. She averted her gaze when he gently cupped her chin and told her, "Look at me."

"I can't."

"I know you can. Come on, love, humor me. I'm not that hideous, am I?"

She rolled her eyes at him, but at least she was looking at him now, and he smiled at her.

"Now that's better."

"You'll just make me do the selfless thing again, and I don't want to do the selfless thing. I'm not losing you, Lorenzo St. John." The fire in her eyes when she said it was more than he could have ever asked for, ever hoped for. And he felt bis throat close at the realization.

After a long moment he finally said, "You'll always have me, love. I'm yours forever, if you want."

"You say that-"

"I _mean_ that," he looked at her, pulling himself up again. She watched him, putting a hand on his uninjured side to keep him from rising more, and he smiled at her, "this is not exactly what I had in mind, but it'll have to do," he suddenly said, and she frowned at him, sensing something.

"Bonnie Bennett, will you marry me?"

She gasped and laughed, completely surprised. "What?" Her hands flew to her mouth as she nervously tried to make sense of his words. Did he really just…?

"Will you marry me, you silly witch?" He repeated, and she breathed out a brief "Yes," then kissed him so fiercely that she toppled on top of him, barely managing to keep herself from putting her full weight on him. Still, he hissed out in pain, and she apologized profusely, sitting back up again, looking at him worriedly.

"I keep hurting you, don't I?" She finally muttered, then laid down beside him, like she'd done before.

"No, love, you are what's making me _heal_ …"

She looked at him and saw that he wasn't just talking about current, visible wounds, and she smiled wistfully as she snuggled closer against him, kissing him once more, this time very gently.

For a while they forgot about everything else. They just let the moment be what it was.

Theirs.


	17. Waiting

_Thank you for reading, and thanks Lupin for "joining" us. Thanks to Jade: I'm glad the family history part worked for you. Thanks to kpmindc, too: loved your review! Totally thought of "Klenzo" too. lol_ _It definitely also always bugged me that Alexandria's stupid reveal was all Enzo's got in terms of his family history, so I put my own spin on it to give him something more._

 _Also, I think I made up my mind to leave this as_ Delena _, though they're definitely not the main focus..._

 _Anyways. Since the wait was a bit long, the chapter is also a bit longer. A bit of writer's block and lack of motivation to try and get my jumbled mind images into something written struck._

* * *

...

The world had begun to change around them all. It had started rather gradually, but the more days passed since Fenris had been freed from the vault, the more noticeable the changes became.

Summer had been cut short. After the stifling humid heat, the temperatures had dropped quickly. Farmers had trouble dealing with the repercussions, prices for certain produce had skyrocketed.

But the worst was the change in the people themselves. They didn't seem to care as much about their fellow human beings, crime rates had increased, there were reports of family tragedies left and right: a father's extended suicide, brothers killing brothers, sisters fighting with their mothers.

And then there were the wolves. Their population had increased dramatically, and they were feral. Dangerous beasts like out of a horror movie, rather than the romanticized version of White Fang.

Fenris walked among them, leader of a pack that only grew even more when he finally began seeking out their cousins - the werewolves, his true children - ensnaring them to follow their most feral calling, to attack. To kill.

It was time.

* * *

…

The fire in the Salvatore House was burning nice and warm, and Damon enjoyed just lounging on the couch with Elena for a bit, resting, eyes closed, bodies entangled.

It had gotten so cold outside. Of course they knew - or suspected - that it had to do with the freaking big bad wolf, so he should have been more wary of it, but in a way he really cherished the cold for what it gave him and Elena: more time to cuddle together.

If only his stupid injury could finally stop bothering him so much. A Damon that didn't like to talk much anymore because his throat constantly hurt like he'd drunk battery acid or swallowed razor blades was not a typical Damon. Or a happy one.

And he wanted to be happy. Completely happy. He sighed and Elena looked up at him, raising herself into a sitting position.

"Were you even listening?" she asked and his blank stare was answer enough.

"I'm sorry," he said, preparing a speech, but Elena gently patted his chest and told him, "I said, Alaric looked into our problem more," she pointed to his injury, "and he said that chances are good it might actually heal better if you take the cure."

Damon squinted at her, unsure. "Oh ya? And what makes dear Ric think that? I mean, I'm not just gonna blindly take the cure because he thinks "chances are good" and then end up dying after all. I want to grow old with you, Elena, not die an agonizing slow werewolf induced death," he quipped, and she gave him a look.

"Well, according to him, Klaus' blood took care of the werewolf venom-"

"Then why is this still here," Damon interrupted her, pulling his shirt away from his throat so that she could get the full view of the still somewhat reddish and uneven looking skin there. He stood up, slowly walking over to the bar. Was it too early to have a drink?

"Damon."

He stopped midway, closing his eyes briefly. There it was, he thought, her good influence on him. Without her there, he would have totally gotten drunk right about now. Then he would have gone out to wreak some havoc somewhere, and deal with his anger issues that way.

But he only needed to hear her gentle raspy voice, and he let his head drop along with those plans.

He turned around and went back over to where she was still sitting on the couch.

"I know this is hard for you," she was saying, "but please, just listen for a moment." They looked at each other, and he watched her stand up and cross the small gap between them. She snuggled up against him. "I don't want to lose you, Damon," she murmured, "that's the only reason I'm even considering this. Ric thinks taking the cure will be your best bet for a full recovery. Klaus said that even his blood could not completely heal the bite of the Fenris wolf, right?"

Damon nodded resignedly. "Sounded even lamer the way he said it, but yeah."

"That's because of how strong he is, and how much purer - if you want to call it that - his venom is. Same for Enzo and Tyler, it takes them much longer to heal."

"But they're healing better than I am," Damon grumbled, annoyed again at how unfair that seemed.

Elena grimaced. "That's because Tyler is a werewolf and Enzo… well, since it turned out he's a hybrid, that goes for him too. They share some of Fenris' genetic traits, which gives them an advantage in fighting off the venom. Seems like the more remote your genetic link is, the harder it is for your body to recuperate."

"That does not help me feel better," Damon said, "I wasn't even there when that annoying hybrid," Damon rolled his eyes and waved his arms dramatically, "argh, I can't even call him that anymore since apparently now there's two of them! - Anyways. I wasn't even there when Klaus friggin' Mikaelson dropped that bomb about Enzo's roots. I mean, seriously?!"

"Damon," Elena looked at him with a mild smile, slightly amused. It was so obvious to her that Damon was jealous. Because he hadn't been a part of that whole reveal, and because she had just told him earlier that, apparently, Klaus had offered to accompany Enzo to his meeting with the mysterious Faelan that had finally been scheduled to happen sometime later that very day.

And Damon was not invited.

"What?" he made and glared at her before his features softened and he pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, his lips against her clavicle, "This whole… mess is just really really not how I had envisioned the time after our reunion to be. I had thought more of-"

She suddenly fiercely kissed him, grabbing his hand to guide it down further and further, "Something like this?" she breathed and he raised his eyebrows appreciatively, following her lead. He could almost pretend he wasn't in pain anymore…

"Uh huh," he murmured, as he delved in, forgetting all about what they had even been talking about.

* * *

…

It was freaking cold when Tyler woke up. With an involuntary shiver, he slowly let his bare feet hit the cold floor and made his way down to the kitchen.

He'd need a coffee, a nice piping hot cup of it. He was barely down the stairs when he heard a peal of clear, distinctly female laughter and the lower grumble of a man's voice. He grimaced a little, and, forcing himself to fight the urge to limp, he went into the kitchen to greet Matt and Penny. They were both wearing their uniforms and he felt a little self conscious in his worn t-shirt and sweatpants, his hair still tousled from sleep.

"Hey," the girl made, and Matt grinned at him widely, proffering a cup.

"Ty, you're just in time for the morning coffee. Penny and I were about to leave…"

Tyler tried to smile but he was pretty sure it probably came across more like a fake grin than anything sincere.

Sure enough, the other two frowned at him and he awkwardly took a big sip from the cup, then sat down.

"How's your leg?" Matt asked, point-blank, and Tyler felt put on the spot, even though he knew it wasn't meant as an attack. His friend was just worried about him, and Tyler hated being worried about on a daily basis.

"Getting better. One day at a time, right?" he said, checking the day on the calendar that Matt's fiancée had hung up on the wall over the table. Two more days until the next full moon would probably take care of this for him - or make it worse. There was no knowing what Fenris bite could do to anyone, vampire, werewolf, or human. They were all a case study of sorts. The first few to even survive an attack.

"Right," Matt agreed, but he was still frowning at his friend who now sat staring down into his cup. "Caroline said she'd be by in a bit, just a heads up," he then informed Tyler, even though Caroline had told him not to. She had worried Tyler would just up and leave if she showed up, but Matt knew better. His friend was not doing so great, and the only one that seemed to get through to him at least to an extent was Care.

Tyler nodded his head absently as Matt walked closer, giving him a pat on the shoulder. "Well, see you tonight. okay? My shift ends around 6, so, if you want, we can grab some dinner together after…"

"Nah, that's alright. Take Penny. You guys deserve some alonetime without me as a tag along," Tyler said, and Matt nodded. He knew when not to push it.

"See you later," Penny said, and waved, giving Matt a look before she headed out, and his mouth turned into a thin line.

"Will you be alright here, Ty?" he made himself ask and of course his friend merely nodded. "Okay. See you tonight then."

And that was that.

…

Once Matt had finally left, Tyler made his way over to the couch and slumped down heavily. He grabbed the remote and turned the TV on, but he didn't even really care enough to change the channel from the stupid daytime show that was running.

...

"Tyler?" Her soft whisper startled him. It took him a minute to realize that he must have fallen asleep again and was now laying rather than sitting. He rubbed a hand over his face and through his hair and tried to quickly sit up, but Caroline had already sat down next to him, gently stopping his movements.

"It's alright," she said, "no need pretending for me. We can just lay here and watch some, uh," she squinted at the screen, "whatever this is supposed to be…"

"So you think you can dance," he mumbled and she gave him a look.

"Excuse me?"

"The name of the show…"

"Oh." Caroline nodded a little nervously, then sighed. Suddenly, her phone rang and she glanced at it briefly before telling him, "Ugh. Sorry, I have to get this one."

He just nodded, then stared back at the screen. It was weird. Having Caroline here felt so normal. Good. It was the first thing in a long time that had felt like that - and like he actually belonged somewhere.

There was a familiarity between them that he hadn't realized he'd missed. But he had. He really had.

"Well, excuse me!" He heard Caroline loudly say from over by the kitchen, "Sorry that I do have other friends and people I care about! He needs me right now, and you made it abundantly clear that you don't!"

He was pretty sure she was talking to Stefan and he couldn't help a small smile.

When she came back to him moments later, her cheeks were flushed and there was the little mount between her eyebrows that had always told him when she was angry or upset. Some things never changed.

With a raise of his chin he indicated her phone and said, "Trouble in paradise?"

She huffed out before flopping down on the couch next to him again, grabbing the remote and starting to flip through the channels at lightning speed. He gave her a curious look.

"If you want to call it trouble in paradise when the man you love and who you thought you'd spend the rest of your life with keeps deflecting all your attempts to be close and be there for each other, then yeah, I guess there is," she quipped, glancing over at him, then looking down again, sighing defeatedly. "If I can be honest with you… it hasn't been paradise for a long time, and I'm just _soooo_ over this. Stefan… I don't know. He fights alone, or at least, not with me. If he's in trouble, or if something's bothering him, he goes to Damon, or Valerie, and now he'll probably also go to Elena. But I'm supposed to be his girlfriend! I'm… I deserve better…" her last words were tainted by tears, and he quickly sat up straighter, alarmed.

"Caroline…"

"I'm sorry. I came to cheer you up and check on you, and now I'm making a mess of that, too. Nothing's going right lately. Stefan has an identity crisis over not being Klaus' special friend anymore because it seems Klaus has a new one," Tyler flinched at the name but tried to keep listening. This was about Caroline, not about his own problems. "Then there's Bonnie, who's probably still mad at me for basically talking her into becoming a vampire by questioning her integrity and making the assumption she doesn't care enough about the man she loves. Let's not mention Elena, who's back - and that should make me so happy, but all it does is make me feel - yet again - like the third wheel, because she and Bonnie are just _that_ inseparable. Oh, and did I mention that Alaric is flirting left and right with Georgie the intern and Alison the nanny, while I try to get in quality time with my girls while I'm _also_ trying to work my job, _and_ taking care of…"

She suddenly stopped herself and gave him a sheepish look. But he knew what she'd wanted to say.

"Me," he muttered, pressing his lips together afterward, leaning forward to grab the remote from her and ceasing her movements by closing his grasp over her hand. "Care, you got enough on your plate. I'm really okay. You don't need to hang out with me to-"

"I _want_ to, Tyler. Maybe I don't need to, maybe _you_ don't need me to, but I want to make sure you're okay. We've never… we've never talked much after the wedding. After Liv-"

"Care…" She was steering into dangerous territory and he just wasn't sure he was ready for that. Whether he'd ever be ready for it.

"I'm so sorry, Ty. I can't even begin to imagine. Killing the person you love… triggering the werewolf gene again after everything you've been through, after knowing what pain awaits you…"

"I should have chosen death," he suddenly said, surprising both himself and her, and her face fell at his words. But it was true. He'd known it for a while. He'd tried to ignore it, but it kept popping up in his mind again and again. "She made me, but I could have just pulled my hand away again when she wanted me to…", his voice broke, "suffocate her, you know? I was just too damn weak and afraid, I was… I couldn't…," he felt a sob break its way out of him and he didn't even care anymore. It wasn't like Caroline hadn't already seen him at his worst and for some reason the only thing he felt bad about was that he was ruining _her_ moment of misery.

"Oh Ty…" she gasped and as she swiftly moved to hug him, he let that happen, too, he just gave in - or gave up, he didn't care either way. They sat like that for a very long time, until, eventually, he was able to pull himself together, and retreat from her a little.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, wiping his eyes just as she wiped hers and they chuckled awkwardly when looking at each other.

"They're still dancing," Caroline drily remarked as her gaze fell on the TV, and he tossed the remote back at her.

"Feel free to change the channel," he said, letting himself fall against the cushions, exhausted. She copied him and did the same, and for a while they just sat there, switching channels again, until Caroline said, "It's okay to want to live, you know?"

He clenched his jaw.

"She wouldn't have wanted you to tear yourself up about it. She wanted you to live."

"She wanted me to make it worth it, but I haven't done very much to-"

"She meant _you_ , Tyler. You are worth it and she wanted you to live your life as best as you can."

"I haven't…"

"You followed us and helped us against Fenris. You're on our team to help defend the entire world! How much more 'worth it' could it be?" There was a fire in her eyes that got to him in more ways than one. A long time ago he had needed her on his side and he'd thought she wasn't. But now…

With sudden vehemence, he bent over and kissed her, passionately, and she pushed him away at first, gasping his name. He stared at her, not sorry at all, but ready to stop if she gave him the signal, but then she pulled herself up against him, reciprocating the kiss, the passion, and that signal never came.

* * *

…

Bonnie was not happy. She had propped herself up in bed, looking down on Enzo, one hand lifting his bandage slightly and exposing the still not completely healed wound underneath.

He flinched a little when she carefully traced it with a finger but then smiled at her, trying to persuade her to resume where they'd left off.

She looked at him worriedly, though. "How long is it supposed to take until this is healed completely?" she said, more upset than he was about this hole in his body, "It didn't take this long before."

""Well. I wasn't bitten by the Fenris wolf himself last time. If he can bring on the end of the entire planet, I'm sure his bite has to be a little more… lethal than that of your average friendly nextdoor werewolf. I'm not complaining, though. At least I'm still here, with you…"

She gave him a mild look and a kiss. But she'd seen through him. He kept pretending he was fine and the wound mostly just a bit of a nuisance by now, but when they had pretty much been in the throes of passion and he'd been too late to completely stifle a hiss, she'd known. She'd stopped in the middle of what she had been doing, sitting on top of him, and had climbed off despite his protests. "I'm hurting you!" She'd said exasperatedly, but he'd simply said, "I don't care. It's fine, love. Really. It will hurt me way more if you stop so close to-"

She'd looked at him cockily, wiggling her eyebrows. "Cumming? - I promise we will resume business, after-" he'd tried to sit up and grab her, but she'd pushed him away playfully, " _after_ I've checked on you."

He'd grumbled unhappily, but had fallen back on the bed, letting her examine his chest.

"Is this what they call 'playing doctor?' Because, frankly, I don't quite get the attraction for such a thing. But what do I know. The only experiences I've had with doctors so far haven't been exactly pleasurable so…"

"Stop it." She looked at him with her best annoyed teacher expression and he chuckled a little. But she was serious. She hated it when he brought up this part of his past in such a manner, though she knew humor was the only way he - or anyone - could deal with so much trauma.

He extended his arms in a show of surrender and let her finish her "examination," then pulled her back on top of him, surprising her enough that she almost fell straight onto his injured side. "Enzo!" she gasped, but thanks to her new vampire speed, she was able to stop the movement. "Don't do that!" she said, frowning at him so worriedly that he sighed. He was ready to be done being the injured vampire that she was worrying about and pitying. He was ready for some wild sex again and welcoming the dangerous adventures back into his life. He'd done too much lying around in his life, and he wasn't gonna let anyone, not even his own body, dictate him otherwise.

So he suddenly wrapped one arm around her, using the other as leverage to move both of them around on the bed, wrinkling and tearing at the sheets in the process, until he came to be on top of her. She looked up at him wide eyed, sorry replaced by… desire. Arousal. She always loved it when he had his way with her. He smirked at her. That was exactly what he was going to do now.

He dipped down, kissing her clavicle, making his way down her sternum, a little to the side… a little more… replacing his tongue on her nipples with his hands as his mouth went further down, his lips tickling her delicate skin, making her arch her back and buck under him with every new touch.

His body was angry with him as he did, but hers… hers was rejoicing, begging for more. And really, it was all that mattered to him.

"Are you ready to be fucked, Ms. Bennett?" he asked cockily, between flicks, and grinned when she begged, her head stretched back, her hands fisting the sheet under her.

When she came, crashing down on the bed, shivers racking through her whole body, she made a sound so arousing he had to concentrate hard not to cum right there and then. He watched her, she was so beautiful, so hot, and when her hands moved to grab his cock, taking charge, guiding him in, he gladly let it happen and followed her rhythm.

…

After they'd barely finished, the afterglow still making them shiver, they heard their doorbell ring and looked at each other, grinning sheepishly.

"I guess we better put some clothes on," Bonnie suggested and Enzo wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"I think you're too gorgeous for clothes, love."

She raised her head, "Oh ya? Does that mean you wouldn't mind if I were to prance around naked in front of whoever it is waiting in front of our door? Because, I can do that…" she stood up, demonstrating just how well she could, hands against her hips, and he laughed until she threw a pillow at him.

He was quick to put some pants back on, a shirt, and then walked barefoot out of the room, giving her a kiss as he went. "Promise me you'll wait here for me, don't move a finger," he muttered against her neck and she grinned wide.

When he'd finally made his way over to the front door, and opened it with a swift movement, he was caught a little off guard when he saw Niklaus Mikaelson stand in front of it, casually leaning against the doorframe, examining the ground.

The Original looked up and grinned. "Enzo," he said, enunciating the name in a strangely intimate way, as if they had long known each other.

"Niklaus," he said in answer, crossing his arms over his chest, "What brings you to our humble abode?"

"So it's something serious between you and the witch… excuse me, the vampire who used to be a witch-"

Enzo clenched his teeth briefly. He wouldn't let the man poke fun at Bonnie's demise. The change was hard enough for her already. She didn't need this. "Leave her alone," he bit out, glaring at the other man, but got smiled at in return.

"Relax, my friend. I'm not here to ruffle your feathers or upset your girl. As long as you keep her from trying to - I don't know, kill me - we shall be good. I'm here as your friend, Enzo."

"Well, _Nik,_ " he said, because for some reason he was oddly annoyed by the other's familiarity, but Klaus just grinned at him widely, "what brings you here?"

"You know there's not many people calling me that, right? My younger siblings, for one, Stefan… I'll take it as a sign," Enzo frowned at him, "that we are close. You and me, the only true vampire werewolf hybrids out there. Of course I have my daughter now - but she is very special, even more than we are - but you can't exactly bond with a little girl the same way as with a man. I also heard we share more than that. A few decades both spent in torment… if that doesn't make us brothers in fate?"

Enzo smirked and scoffed, "From what I hear, you brought your 'torment' upon yourself. I was captured and incarcerated; literally taken apart." He raised an eyebrow and was surprised to see the slightest reaction from the other man. "But as crazy as it sounds, I guess you _are_ one of the few that might actually understand…" he allowed, trailing off as the admission got a little too tough to continue. He knew that Damon had more than an inkling, too; after all, he'd spent five years suffering the same fate as him, yet it was still a vastly different experience. Damon hadn't suffered alone for all that long. And he'd gotten out. In an attack of selfish - though understandable - self-preservation, he'd turned off his humanity and left Enzo behind. And the rare times he allowed that thought in, it still hurt terribly.

"Damon doesn't really get it, does he?" Klaus suddenly said, very earnestly, surprising Enzo.

He swallowed, unsure of what to say. Was this man, this centuries-old Original, really truly trying to be _his_ friend? It seemed almost impossible.

He made a face at Klaus, then decided to just repeat his earlier question. "As much as I enjoy being able to speak with someone with the same refined tastes and… memories, I'd really like to get back to what I was doing, so, what do you want here, Niklaus?"

Klaus sighed. "The wolf rang. Actually, his witch. She wanted you, obviously, but got me. Took it upon myself to test the waters and met up with him. Had a nice little chat. He still wants to see you," he pointed a nonchalant finger at Enzo and when he saw the other man's defensive stance and furrowed brow, he waved a hand and added, "Well, I dare say I persuaded him to not kill you on first sight and wait till he's heard the full story."

"Why, thank you, St. Nik, it must be Christmas," Enzo joked, and Klaus rolled his eyes at him, still smiling a little.

"You may want to put some shoes on…"

It was Enzo's turn to roll his eyes, but he winked at Klaus and said, "I take that to mean I'm not going to resume my prior activities after all..."

Klaus grimaced at him, shrugging. "Tell the lady my apologies," he said with a half bow and a knowing smirk and turned his back to Enzo, but clearly waiting. Enzo's mouth made a thin line and he sighed silently, before heading back up to his girl to break the news.

…

"I don't like this one bit," Bonnie told him before he'd even really entered the bedroom, and he smiled at her.

"Did my lady eavesdrop?"

"I did not! You two were just not very… quiet," she huffed, closing the bathrobe that she'd put on when he'd been downstairs.

"He flicked it away with a finger, kissing the skin underneath one last time, looking at her regretfully. "We will have to postpone the encore, I'm afraid," he murmured and heard her sigh in reply.

"Be careful, please. I don't like this - especially you going with Mr. Untrustworthy Original."

Enzo chuckled at the face she made. "It'll be alright, love. It's a family reunion! How could it not be filled with lots of good food, gossip, and accusations? It'll be marvelous."

"Can I at least call Damon and tell-"

"Have you forgotten about the state he's in, love? Damon looks worse than I do - and I'm for once not talking about my astonishing good looks," he interrupted her quickly and she slapped his arm lightly.

"I'm serious."

"I know, love. But I'll be fine."

"Caroline?"

"You don't want to do this to her, do you? Niklaus is coming either way and something tells me that bringing Caroline along would not help the level of tension."

Bonnie hated to admit it, but he was right. Besides, she hadn't completely made up with Caroline yet, either. She humphed, then gave Enzo a quick kiss and handed him some socks.

"Deja vu," he said as he wanted to take them. But she'd changed her mind and pointed to the bed.

"Sit," she said and he did as he was told, waiting for her to help him put them on.

"I liked it better how that turned out last time," he said, reminiscing, and she gave him a seductive look.

"Come back to me quickly and maybe we can see what we can do about that," she suggested, finally letting him go. And he smiled at her.

* * *

…

Bonnie hated all of this. Faelan wanting to see Enzo. Klaus being his only companion. Damon still out of sorts and too busy with Elena to allow the latter to spend much time with Bonnie. And Caroline…

She sighed. She'd have to deal with that. It had almost been a month and they hadn't spoken a word. Part of her was still angry, but she was also still a bit of an emotional mess after her turning into a vampire, so that didn't help either.

She made her way into the bathroom, quickly putting some makeup and fresh clothes on, brushing her teeth, looking at herself in the mirror once she was done, nodding at her reflection.

"Let's do this," she loudly said, then pushed herself off and left.

…

When she got to Caroline's, and nobody was there, she immediately knew where to go next. Not Alaric's. She knew the girls were still at preschool, and she also knew that Caroline had not been working as regularly as of late.

It didn't take long before the door to Matt's and Tyler's house was opened and a defensive looking Caroline peeked out at her with arms crossed.

"Bonnie…"

Bonnie almost laughed. Her friend looked like she was expecting a lecture, or quite possibly an emotional outburst from Bonnie, but it was not what she'd come here to do.

"Hey… Can we talk for a moment?"

"Of course!" Caroline was quick to say and opened the door a little wider, allowing Bonnie to see inside, where she spotted Tyler sitting at the kitchen table, turning around to wave at her.

She waved back, sensing something. "I'm not… interrupting you guys or anything, am I?"

Suddenly, Caroline grabbed her quickly, and shooed her out with her, over to the patio. She made a face at Bonnie, then quietly closed the door behind them.

"It's… complicated."

Bonnie's eyes widened, understanding dawning. She almost forgot why she was even there, or that she hadn't officially made up with Caroline yet, and asked, "You guys are hooking up again? With Klaus in town, and your girls and Alaric… That should be interesting."

Caroline looked rather helpless and upset. "I know," she whined, "What am I thinking? It just… kinda happened and-"

"Right now?"

"Bonnie!" Caroline slapped her gently, flushing, and finally admitted, "Well, yeah, maybe…"

They exchanged a look, Bonnie beaming at her for a bit before the atmosphere changed and they both sobered a little. Caroline put her hands over her eyes for a moment and sighed audibly.

"But obviously you're not here to discuss my somewhat questionable relationship choices, exes should stay exes, especially if they're werewolves and you're a vampire, right? - You're here because I need to apologize for what I said-"

"It's okay, Care. I get it now, I really do."

"I shouldn't have said it the way I did, but… I guess I just wasn't ready to let you go myself, Bonnie. You're my best friend."

Bonnie smiled at her, giving her a hug that Caroline gladly reciprocated.

"You had to be harsh, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have listened otherwise. - And you were right. Enzo…," she trailed off, biting her lip. "He pretends to be strong and like his past doesn't bother him much anymore, but…"

Caroline nodded. "Aren't they all like that?" She said. "Like it's so bad to let someone see that they are vulnerable, too, that they get hurt and scarred. But some of the things they've gone through are just so… profoundly traumatizing, tragic… It's no wonder that they aren't able to keep it in forever."

Bonnie looked at her friend. She knew that Caroline was not just generally talking about men like Enzo. She was talking about Tyler, too. Bonnie gave her another hug, surprising her.

"I'm glad he had you," Bonnie whispered, nodding toward the door, behind which they both knew Tyler was waiting, "you've always been good for him."

"Except when I made the decision to sleep with the man who tortured him and murdered his mom, you mean?" Caroline rolled her eyes, ashamed, but Bonnie smiled at her.

"We all make mistakes, Care. Some bigger, some more hurtful than others. You also got tortured because of him, you endangered your life to be there for him. You two have history, not all of it good, but… I don't know, I think it'll make you stronger in the long run. You and your relationship. If you're going that way…" She winked and Caroline looked at her sheepishly.

"You're not mad at me anymore then?"

Bonnie shook her head. "We should have talked earlier. I'm sorry. But with Enzo injured so badly and everything…"

"You had other things to worry about."

"Uh huh," Bonnie made, remembering something, lost in thought until Caroline called her name again, worried.

"He'll be alright, though, right? He's healing? Elena said Damon is taking forever to get better, but at least she can see some progress."

"Oh, ya. He's… much better already. Still not great but... At least he doesn't look like death anymore and can walk around again. - I was… I'm… we're engaged, actually. Can you believe it?"

"What?! Oh my gosh! Bonnie, I'm… so happy for you! Oh my gosh! Where's the ring, how did he-"

Bonnie chuckled at Caroline's enthusiasm. It felt so good to have someone be truly happy for her. She'd told Elena about it, too, of course, and she'd been happy for Bonnie. But Caroline's reaction was just a tiny bit sweeter, more sincere? She couldn't really blame Elena, of course. She had a lot on her plate, coming back from a magical coma to find your boyfriend on death's door, figuring out how and if they could still use the cure, all the while surely thinking that their reunion should have been way more romantic, maybe crowned with their one engagement. And then here came Bonnie with her very own good news, getting engaged to a man that Elena hadn't gotten to know the same way as Bonnie had within the last few years.

She sighed, allowing Caroline to usher her back inside. "You need to tell me everything!"

"There's not much to say," she said, feeling slightly awkward. "There's no ring yet, and no super romantic story to go with it…"

But Caroline's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Ooooh, that means he'll get you one later! Oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh! He'll probably spring the question on you again, or… I don't know. But he's so crazy romantic and so crazy in love with you, it's gonna be epic, Bonnie! I'm sooo happy for you!"

And somehow, Bonnie already felt rather epic.

* * *

...

After they had said their goodbyes and Bonnie had gone on her way, Caroline leaned against the door for a little while longer, her mind a whirl of thoughts, happy ones, but also dark, anxious ones.

She was glad that Bonnie hadn't made a big deal out of their small falling out earlier that month, and that it had basically been back to normal. But she was also nervous because she had told Bonnie about Tyler when she didn't even know herself what she really felt about all that.

"Do you want to forget it ever happened?" Tyler suddenly jolted her out of her thoughts and she stared at him where he'd appeared in the hallway. Arms slack at his sides, head slightly cocked, he seemed genuinely curious rather than defensive or upset, and it surprised her.

He had definitely changed in the last few years.

"No!" she quickly said, pushing herself off of the door and coming toward him. "Of course not."

"Are you sure? It's alright if you do, okay? I'm not gonna make a scene or explode or anything. I'm just… glad you're here, for me. That you're still my friend. If I can't have more than that, then at least-"

She stopped him with a kiss, surprise making him raise his eyebrows for a second, but he quickly gave in to her, kissing her back.

"I don't regret a thing," she whispered between kisses, stilling his movements for a moment, gazing into his eyes. "I want this. It's probably not smart, seeing as I have two little kids and a neglectful boyfriend that I still need to break up with officially, but… I want this, Ty. I want _you_."

And it was her turn to be surprised when he pulled her in for a tight hug, saying, "And I want you, Caroline Forbes. I've always wanted you…"

As their words trailed off and their kisses turned more passionate, their bodies more demanding, they found themselves tearing off their clothes, pressing naked skin against naked skin, touching, licking, stroking, until Tyler grabbed Caroline with one strong arm and swiftly laid her down right where they had been standing, in the middle of the hallway...

* * *

…

Enzo was still not home when Bonnie got back from her little visit and she frowned in annoyance. She was just so worried about him, and knowing he was out there with Klaus Mikaelson did not help to exacerbate those feelings.

So she had to distract herself somehow, or - since that was never going to happen anyways - she had to at least pretend she was doing something to ensure Enzo would be fine.

Therefore she called Damon.

She was already pacing the living room, when he finally answered.

"Hello, Ms. New Vampire," he said in way of greeting, and she could hear the strain in his voice. She worried about him, too, and she closed her eyes, briefly allowing that feeling to wash over her before focusing back on Enzo.

"Did you know that Klaus was gonna take Enzo to Faelan?" she said without preamble and could basically see Damon give Elena a look on the other end.

"No?" he made, and that one word gave everything away.

Bonnie huffed out, angry now. "Why did you allow that to happen? Klaus Mikaelson?! Accompanying Enzo? He's not even healed yet - _you_ should know what that means - and he doesn't know just how deceitful that man is. Not to mention that none of us know anything about Faelan-"

"Well, despite what you think, Bon," Damon interrupted her, "I have actually roped in some help for our shared cause. My dear brother is out there as we speak, following his former bestie Klaus with his new bestie Valerie," Bonnie blinked at hearing that name, as Damon continued, "Although I'm starting to sense some UST between those two, so maybe they're something a little more than besties…"

"Damon!" she gritted out to get him back on track. She forced herself to sit down in one of the kitchen chairs and calm down, but her free hand quickly found a forgotten spoon on the table in front of her and she nervously spun it around.

"Anyways," Damon said, "Stefan managed to persuade Valerie to look into our little cure issues. In return he's offered to take her on a little fun werewolf hunt with her, following dear Klaus and my boy Enzo to find out whether the middle bad wolf can be trusted and persuaded to help fight against the big bad daddy wolf."

Bonnie frowned. "None of that sounds very promising, Damon. I also really don't see any appeal in this for Valerie, so-"

"Her appeal is Stefan, silly baby vamp! She's head over heels in love with hero boy, if that wasn't obvious. Just don't tell blondie that. At least not if you want that handy heretic to help you protect your man for a little longer."

Bonnie put a hand over the spoon, stopping it from spinning. "Actually," she said, "I don't think there will be a problem with Caroline and Valerie anymore."

On the other end, Damon gave Elena a puzzled look. "Huh," he made. "I guess poor Stef doesn't even need to make a decision then. Good for the cause at least."

"Call me _immediately_ when you hear from them," Bonnie told him, not even gracing his prior observation with a reply, and hung up as soon as Damon said, "How could I not."

Then she waited.


	18. In the cave

_Thanks kpmindc and Jade! I so love to get some feedback! Without it, I don't have any clue whether I'm making sense, whether this is too boring, to unbelievable, or what have you. So every little thing helps._

 _Of course I'm always especially glad to hear when something did work for you. :)_

 _I was gonna include a Benzo scene in this, but I didn't want to rush that and the chapter was already getting long, so it'll have to wait till the next one..._

* * *

...

"I'll drive," Klaus announced.

Enzo's lips curled into a half smile. He let Klaus' words sink in for a minute, contemplating. He knew he didn't have a choice, anyways. He could barely lift his arm and sit up straight for very long, not to mention actually steering a car on rainy and snowy roads for at least a couple of hours. He shook his head a little, then followed the Original over to his fancy looking classic car. A Shelby Cobra.

"Nice ride," Enzo allowed once they had both gotten in, and Klaus gave him a look, then grinned. "Nothing says we can't ride in style when the world is about to end."

Enzo grinned back. "Where are we taking her?" he asked, indicating the car, and Klaus started the engine with a satisfyingly loud roar.

"Quaint little town called Winter's Cove," he said, "I believe you've traveled there before…"

Enzo rolled his eyes. Of course... He had hoped he'd never see that place again, but it seemed he was out of luck there.

"Relax, Enzo," Klaus glanced at him sideways, still oddly fascinated by the man that shared his fate. After all these years, after centuries spent feeling lonely and begging the world to give him someone who'd understand, the universe had suddenly answered and first given him a daughter, and then… someone just like him. He was not alone anymore.

Yet the world was also about to get sucked into oblivion all too soon.

Klaus was not ready. He could not allow it.

Enzo had raised his eyebrows, then begun to look out the side window. He had too much on his mind to try and keep a conversation going with an almost complete stranger. Small talk among hybrids didn't sound like a thing either of them would be into anyways.

Hybrids… He still hadn't quite digested that part of his newly revealed family history. After all these years, after Alexandria's reveal that hadn't been much after all, because she could barely fill in any blanks and didn't seem to know anything about his father, about _his_ roots, he'd been ready to just accept that he'd never learn who he really was. Then suddenly an Original of all people had come to explain that he, Lorenzo St. John, was descended from one of the earliest werewolves. That he was a hybrid, just like Niklaus Mikaelson.

He clenched his jaw as he thought of Bonnie. He'd pretended to be unaffected by the news. By the fact that everything looked like his father had potentially tried to protect him rather than abandon him to a lonely and pain filled life. Enzo hadn't wanted to worry her even more. But deep down, the news had rattled him.

He had a family... He had been loved.

And he was not alone anymore. He had Bonnie.

Now he also had a bunch of random relatives, among them quite possibly some highly unbalanced werewolves; and he was going to meet the oldest of them. Fantastic. What was more to love?

"You alright, mate?"

Klaus' sincere sounding question startled him. The Original was squinting at him, then, when Enzo gave a brief nod, he pointed out the windshield and told him, "You better put your seatbelt on, my friend. We're about to head into harsher weathers."

And Enzo could see growing snowflakes wafting in the air outside.

…

Klaus was the first to exit the car and step out onto the thin layer of white that had covered Winter's Cove. Enzo took a deep breath before he hoisted himself up and out as well, his left side screaming as he did. He grimaced against the pain and hissed out a silent curse against Fenris. With every injury he'd ever sustained, this one was surely the longest festering. He clenched his teeth, forcing himself to concentrate on other things.

"Let me guess. We are meeting them in a cozy little cave under a clearing."

"I see your memory serves you well." Klaus smirked. "Unfortunately, they closed all roads up to the forest so I'm afraid we will have to do some walking first," he was indicating the spot where they just parked the car when he continued, "this is as close as I could get… to make it easier for you."

Enzo looked over to him, eyes shuttered. He couldn't read Klaus at all. But he started to have a feeling that the man was actually sincerely… nice to him. Who would have thought.

"I appreciate it," he therefore said, giving a half nod, then joined the Original and they both began to walk over to the edge of the forest.

* * *

…

Faelan had always liked this forest. It reminded him of the place he had once come from, all those centuries ago. The place where he'd been born, the cursed child of a beautiful woman and a dark and dangerous father. He sighed as he walked among the trees, his feet cold against the frozen ground.

"What will you do with him once he's here?" Maeve asked, shooting a glance at him, and he finally remembered that he wasn't walking alone. He gave her a look, taking her in.

So many generations later, he could still see Orlaith in her. The form of her eyes, the curly hair, if lighter now. He smiled at her.

"We shall see," was all he said, and he knew she'd let it go because no one ever questioned him. It was a blessing and a curse. The man, the vampire-werewolf-hybrid that had come to visit him had been the first in probably centuries to challenge him. He'd tremendously enjoyed their conversation. The man's cockiness had been refreshing.

For once, he'd also not been the oldest in the room. If he was to believe Niklaus Mikaelson's story - and he was inclined to do so - the man was Faelan's oldest brother's grandchild and thus the closest relation he had.

He had also fought Fenris before. Faelan squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then looked out at the trees again. The moss was snowy white in places. It was getting colder and colder. Just like last time…

It would be good to get this all over with quickly. To end the wolf and maybe, finally find some rest.

"I'm tired," he told Maeve, and she slung an arm around him caringly.

"Let's get you back then. They should be here soon anyways."

* * *

…

Stefan and Valerie were still on their way, speeding on deserted streets, when Damon called.

"Brother?" Stefan said, exchanging a glance with Valerie, who was driving as he held the phone between cold fingers.

"How's it going over there?"

Stefan made a face. Damon was already growing impatient. "We haven't even arrived yet," he mildly said and could practically hear his brother's disappointment.

"How much longer?"

Stefan saw Valerie roll her eyes, then check the gps. She mouthed, 20 minutes and Stefan repeated it loudly to Damon.

"Bon Bon is getting nervous. And I daresay she's slightly angry with me - or us, but mostly just me - for not clueing her in on the fact that her beloved Lorenzo would go out there today, alone with our favorite Original Nemesis, or as you call him, your old time friend with the anger issues."

Stefan's mouth turned into a thin line. He wasn't sure what to make of Klaus' sudden interest in Enzo. On the one hand it was obvious, because of their sudden connection as both being vampire-werewolf-hybrids. But Klaus wasn't generally one to take someone under his wings and Stefan had the feeling he was doing just that with Damon's friend.

"I don't like this, Stef," Damon suddenly admitted as if he had read the younger Salvatore's mind, and Stefan had to agree. "What does Klaus really want with him?"

"Well, he's probably intrigued that he's not the only hybrid out there after all…"

Damon scoffed. "And of course Enzo had to be the one to share that fate."

"You're jealous." Stefan heard Elena's mild exclamation over the phone and had to smile. She had always been able to see right through Damon.

"I'm not." Damon sounded exasperated, but it was obvious even to Stefan.

"Yes you are. You are used to Enzo's life revolving around you. You as his only friend, the one who broke his heart, the one all his hate was aimed toward, the one who could never let you go. Until he could," Stefan said, and Damon's silence on the other end told him he was right.

"I get it, though," Stefan admitted.

"Do you now, dear Stefan?"

He rolled his eyes, but then smiled briefly. "Believe me, I do. It feels good to be special to someone, even in such a fucked up way as with you and Enzo. Thankfully _you_ have Elena…" He had tried not to sound bitter, but he knew he'd failed.

"So you've heard that Care bear and the wolf have rekindled that awkward flame between them?" Damon said and earned himself a slap from Elena.

But Stefan merely sighed, even as the words sank in and he finally realized that he'd been rather blind lately. He knew he'd been a bit of an asshole to Caroline ever since Damon had first vanished; he'd always known it would come with a price, yet he hadn't been able to concentrate on his girlfriend at all. He'd been obsessed with finding Damon. And once they'd found him, and the world had started to come apart around them, he'd, again, not paid much attention to anything that went on in Caroline's life.

He probably deserved all this. But somehow he still couldn't shake a sudden bout of jealousy and it was making him angry. Why a werewolf of all people? Why Tyler Lockwood?

"Yeah, well," he tried to say something, so as not to look like a complete idiot in front of Valerie, and in front of his brother, "I guess that's what I get for looking out for my brother…"

Damon remained noticeably quiet.

"Anyways, Stefan went on, "we are almost there now. I'll call you once we know more."

"Call me once you're at that cave or whatever it is that Ric mentioned," Damon demanded and Stefan rolled his eyes but agreed.

"Will do. Later, brother."

"Stef? - I'm sorry."

With that, they both hung up.

* * *

…

Alaric was annoyed. There was too much going on.

"Lizzie, stop that!" he yelled across the hallway to where he could hear and see his twins fight over yet another toy while he was busy looking through a huge pile of books and old maps strewn across his kitchen table.

He needed to make dinner soon, too. He rolled his eyes toward the ceiling, then took a deep breath.

"I said stop!"

"But daddy, Josie can't have Mrs. Muffin, I want to play with her." Lizzie held an ugly red headed Barbie type doll in her arms while her sister was crying and trying to snatch it from her.

"Everybody can have a turn, alright? You can't just take it from her. Give it back. Now. And in a few minutes you can nicely ask her whether you can have a turn, too."

"But daddy!"

The doorbell rang and Alaric wasn't sure he should be relieved about that or worried. The girls alone were enough work, add to that his research regarding the cure _and_ immersing himself in forever more papers on the mythology of Ragnarök, and he really didn't need an unannounced guest in the chaos that was his home.

"You girls be nice now," he quickly said, then hurried over to the door as the bell rang yet again.

He opened it to a distinguished looking woman in her late thirties or maybe early forties and took a step back, surprised. She was gorgeous…

"Can I help you?" He stuttered out, flustered, and ran a nervous hand through his hair.

"Professor Saltzman? - I'm sorry to bother you so… late," she took a look at her fancy little wristwatch, and Alaric couldn't help but be fascinated that people still wore wristwatches somewhere, "and at your home. But I just got here from Oxford University?"

Alaric nodded, confused. Was he supposed to know what that meant? Had he scheduled an appointment with anyone from there?

She seemed to catch on to the fact that he was a bit lost and smiled at him. "Professor Tamara Jackson," she said, extending her hand, and he finally shook it.

"We talked on the phone," he said and she nodded, her expression warm and friendly.

"A few times. I'm with the English department there, but my focus is on Norse mythology. You said there was a real chance that Ragnarök was upon us, and while you amused me with your earnestness at first, I've come to be quite intrigued. The news of late are quite… unsettling, if I may call it that, and like you said, they all seem to fit in with the mythology."

Alaric knew he was staring but he couldn't help it.

"Anyways. I'm… really sorry to have bothered you. I might have gotten a little excited and just wanted to quickly let you know that I'm in town and that I'd love to discuss this further whenever - or if," she chuckled nervously and it seemed to be an out of character thing for her to do, "you find some time. Anyways. I've bothered you and your littles long enough, "she peeked behind him where Lizzie and Josie had appeared, hiding behind his legs, and waved at them, then looked back up, "Give me a call. Anytime."

She handed him her business card, then made to leave.

"Daddy, aren't you gonna tell her to join us for dinner?" Josie asked and Alaric grimaced, then grinned.

"Professor Jackson?"

"Tamara, please, Professor Saltzman."

He smiled. "Well, Tamara, it's Ric. And me and my girls would be honored if you'd join us for dinner. I have to warn you, though, that will probably have to come from the nearest pizza delivery service."

They both laughed lightly.

"How could I say no to that," she then replied and slowly walked up to him again, touching his shoulder ever so lightly as he let her go inside the house.

She smelled good, too…

* * *

…

"Sorry to bother you, but I can't do this alone!" Bonnie said by way of greeting as she stormed past a bewildered Caroline and Tyler into the house, all the way to the living room where she flopped down on the couch, dropping her purse by her feet.

She simply wasn't one to just sit and wait around at home.

"Is everything okay?" Caroline asked as Tyler stood by her side, frowning.

"Want me to let you girls alone?" He asked, but Bonnie shook her head.

"No! Actually, I'm glad you're here too. I'm… I just don't trust him. He's with Enzo and they're still not back. They haven't called. Nothing. I also haven't heard from Damon yet. So that means he hasn't heard from Stefan-"

"Hang on... - What?!" Caroline asked, completely clueless as to what was going on at all. She exchanged a glance with Tyler, then walked over to Bonnie and sat down next to her, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Enzo and Klaus!" Bonnie said as if that should be clear, but then she suddenly realized that they hadn't talked much about that when she'd been there earlier.

Caroline looked uncomfortably from her to Tyler, then back. "Klaus is with Enzo?" she asked, and Bonnie nodded quietly. Suddenly she felt a little awkward. She had brought up that name and it was clear that there was still a lot of tension surrounding it. Especially among present company.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, "I shouldn't have bothered you two with this… I just… I don't trust him and I know that either of you have a special relation to him and might _know_ what to expect…" she trailed off, unsure of why exactly she'd come there instead of to Damon. Maybe it had been because she knew he was still very weak. Maybe she'd not liked the undertone of jealousy rather than worry when they'd talked about Enzo being out with the Original. Maybe she'd just wanted more of Caroline's friendship and support.

"Bonnie! Of course you should have 'bothered' us. You're my best friend!" Caroline gave her another hug, glancing over at Tyler from under her lashes. She knew hearing that name always stung him, and they hadn't really talked much about Klaus Mikaelson and his role in their lives again yet. She wondered whether they should.

Probably… But she was afraid it'd make things awkward between them. Their relationship had only just started again and it was very fragile. And she knew that Ty was still very vulnerable, even if he tried to pretend otherwise. Caroline was tired of hurting people, people that she cared about.

"Do you know where they went?" she suddenly heard Tyler asking and got jolted back into the conversation as Bonnie replied.

"I'm not sure where exactly, but I'm betting it's a place called Winter's Cove. Enzo has been there before-"

"Winter's Cove?" Tyler frowned. He recognized that name. He looked at Caroline, completely forgetting that they'd been talking about Klaus, when he said, "Remember when I told you about that pack that was running with the old wolf?"

"Yeah, that's gotta be Faelan, right?" She said, then added, "Please don't tell me there's another ancient wolf around here."

Tyler shook his head. "No, but the pack, they're," he gave a quick glance to Bonnie, "they're different. For some reason they only ever attack vampires. Jeremy and I found that out before, on one of our 'hunting trips'..." He had gotten quieter and quieter, uncomfortable about the fact that he was breaking those news to Bonnie, who was already worried enough. "Hey," he eventually added, looking at Bonnie, "He'll be fine. As much as I hate Klaus, he has a way of dealing with… things, and I'm sure he wouldn't ever risk Enzo's life. Not after what he found out about him. You know Klaus. He is obsessed with what he is. He is obsessed with the possibility of there being other proper hybrids out there and - whatever you wanna make this - but Enzo seems to have peaked his interest."

Bonnie was trying not to sniffle. She hated this. Waiting, feeling powerless, despite her stronger physical power. She missed her magic. She missed Enzo. She just wanted it all to be over, and Enzo to be by her side again. She wanted her shot at happiness. And she wanted it to last.

"We need to tell Stefan and Valerie," Caroline suddenly said, new worry showing in her face. Bonnie gave her a look, then took her phone out of her purse and said, "I'll call Damon. You try Stefan."

Caroline nodded, and they both started dialing.

* * *

…

The cave still felt clammy and unwelcoming, just like the last time he'd been down there. For the first time since he'd gone out with Klaus, Enzo questioned the state of his mind. Had he gone crazy, coming back here wilingly, with the high chance of meeting hostile werewolves?

Once bitten, twice shy is what it should have been. Instead, here he was, ready to meet the people he'd stolen from, playing with his life as he did.

Klaus gave him a cajoling look as he walked deeper into the rock in front of him. "Come on, mate. This will be entertaining."

"Not sure that's the word I'd have chosen," Enzo grumbled, but there was no going back. The ceiling finally opened up before them and he felt just as relieved as last time that he was able to stand back up properly, or maybe even more. His left side was pretty much done for the day, but he forced himself to function, to keep going, pretending nothing was wrong. He took a deep breath of musty air, then walked deeper into the darkness beside Klaus, until a small light at the end of the cave gave off enough light for them to see a handful of people gathering around an older looking man. Was that Faelan? Enzo couldn't quite see him yet, just a glimpse of salty hair, a pair of long lean arms.

Enzo clenched his jaw, his body tensing.

"This must be our welcome party," Klaus said cheerfully and extended his arms in a welcoming gesture. Enzo thought he was acting way over the top and gave him a look that Klaus reciprocated, shrugging. "Faelan, say hello to my friend, Lorenzo St. John. Here, as you requested."

Enzo raised an eyebrow, then watched as the few people made room for the man in their midst.

Enzo tried hard not to show a reaction and he was pretty positive that it worked. Seventy years of torture had taught him a few tricks.

Faelan was looking rather unassuming. Normal, like Klaus Mikaelson. Despite their old ages, both men didn't show any of their years. Although Klaus looked considerably younger, whereas the wolf looked like a middle aged man. His dark hair showed traces of white and gray, though it was still full and wavy. His furry eyebrows had a strange look to them, wild, yet sophisticated. Like Faelan was a wise man, and Enzo figured that he probably was.

He was very tall, taller than him, and lean, distinct muscles showing in his bare arms and bare chest.

Enzo frowned. It was rather cold for that kind of dress code, but maybe the man was hot blooded…

"You are the one that stole my locket," he said, and his voice was so low and grumbly that it was hard to hear him at all.

Enzo raised his chin defiantly. "I guess I am. Not that it matters, but it wasn't my idea."

"So I've been told." The man walked closer, until he came to stand right in front of him. Enzo didn't move, even when the man sniffed the air around him. "How is the shoulder?" Faelan was pointing casually, and Enzo almost grinned.

"Good. Thanks for your concern. It's other parts that are currently troubling me more."

Faelan raised an eyebrow, "Niklaus mentioned that Fenris attacked you and your friends," he said, "I don't think I've ever met anyone that survived that. You are indeed exceptional, just like he promised."

Now Enzo couldn't help a snort, and he smirked at Klaus. "Such kind words from dear Nik," he said, then turned back to look at Faelan. "If I'm here to atone for my sins - or get killed by you, I'd appreciate it if you could be quick about it. If not… tell me why I'm here."

"You are not one to back down," the wolf noted, smiling, "I can appreciate that." He got real close, uncomfortably so, and Enzo felt himself tense even more. What did that man really want from him. And could it really be that they were related, however distantly? It seemed ridiculous.

After Alexandria had told him she was his family, and his father had built the Armory, he'd been left with such an empty, incomplete feeling. Had that really been all? Had that been why he'd worked for them for months? So that she could disappoint him with her lack of knowledge?

She had shared some of his blood, yes. So she hadn't lied, she was his family. And yet she wasn't. It had not been an answer to any of his questions, unspoken or not. She had known nothing about his father, or why he'd been abandoned.

Apparently she hadn't even known about this. Their werewolf heritage.

The old wolf eventually backed away a little, gesturing to his little troupe to leave, then motioning toward what Enzo had pegged as an altar before. "Let's sit for a moment," he suggested, or maybe ordered, Enzo couldn't be sure, but he did as he was told, and he saw that Klaus was doing the same. There was a small stone bench on one side of the table, and a chair on the other onto which Faelan sank down.

Klaus started to say something, calling Faelan's name, but the wolf held up a hand and said, "I know where your loyalties lie, Niklaus, and I respect that. In fact, as I told you before, I won't pursue my initial plan anymore. Lorenzo shall remain alive. He _is_ one of mine after all, and I must protect what is mine. Especially when they're innocent. However, I'd like to have a word with him alone now." He gave the Original a pointed look. Enzo could tell that both men were sizing each other up again, Klaus bristling beside him, but in the end he exchanged a glance with Enzo, who nodded, then slowly got up.

"I'll be waiting right over there," he said, indicating the makeshift hallway that had been cut into the stone and Faelan nodded mildly.

Once he had left the table, Faelan adjusted his position in the chair. Slouching more, he waved a hand over to Klaus. "Despite the fact that you vampires have exceptional hearing, he won't be able to hear anything we say," he explained, "it's handy to have a witch in the family. I'm sure you know that too." He actually winked at Enzo, but it only made him nervous. If they knew about Bonnie, she might not be safe…

There was a long awkward pause before the wolf finally began talking again. His low drawl reverberated in Enzo's ears. "I wanted to kill you," he said, making Enzo smirk, "do you even know what you did to my pack when you stole that locket?" He stared at Enzo out of deep unreadable eyes, and made the other man feel uncomfortable. Enzo didn't know what reply the wolf expected, so he decided to remain silent for now. Nothing he _could_ say would be satisfying, of that he was sure.

"The locket is our protection. It protects the innocents, the ones that aren't wolves yet, and the ones that are. My bloodline is riddled with wolves, but we pride ourselves in never having hurt a single human being. We attack and feed on animals only," he gave Enzo a daggerlike look, "on vampires, but never humans. - That changed when you took away the locket. People died, Lorenzo, because of what you did."

Enzo felt his throat constrict. The pack had been feeding on vampires? People had died. Because of him.

"No," he whispered, the muscles in his jaw working as he tried to get the words out, "you are blaming me for what your… wolves did to humans, but you're not seeing any fault in what you did before? Why would you believe that attacking and killing vampires is any better? What are they to you - what are _we_ to you other than prey?" His mouth turned into a thin line and he ran a hand over his head in a nervous gesture. For the first time since it all had started, since he'd been taken by Fenris, he felt like he might not see Bonnie again after all. And that feeling stung more than any pain he'd ever had to endure.

Yet he couldn't just let it go. Faelan's "confession" of sorts had raised his hackles.

He'd fought that fight before. He couldn't stop now.

The older man was looking at him, scrutinizing. "We are not here to argue the case of the vampires-"

"What _are_ we here for then?" Enzo leaned far across the table, getting in the other's face, ignoring the shock of pain racing through his body as he did. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Klaus and the waiting pack members perk up, suppressing their urges to move. But he forced himself to ignore all of them, treat them like background noise. He raised his chin, defiantly, aggressively looking at his ancestor. "You made it clear that you don't want to kill me, so what _do_ you want? I'm a vampire-"

"You were a wolf first."

Enzo shook his head. "Never triggered the gene - if it's really there…"

"It is." Faelan looked at him, his expression bartered no argument. He seemed to truly know. Enzo clenched his teeth, hard. "You are as much of a mystery to me as you surely are to yourself. I heard that you didn't even know of our relation?"

"I didn't even know you fucking existed," Enzo hissed.

The wolf smiled at him, amused. "Just like I didn't know _you_ existed. A vampire werewolf hybrid. Niklaus was kind enough to remind me how rare that is."

Enzo squinted. "I don't care how rare it is or what i am, but what I care about is my true family. My friends, my fiancée. Vampires, most of them. _People_. You act like they're nothing. Like they don't have a soul. I've dealt with people like you before. Humans, but they were the same. And you know what I learned? _They_ were the monsters. Not me. - Kill me, or let me go. But don't claim me as one of 'yours.' Because I'm not. I'm not a monster."

Enzo had worked himself up, and jumped off the bench, holding a traitorous arm across his smarting left side. He nodded over to Klaus who swaggered over at a slow pace. Waiting.

Faelan put his hands on the table. For a moment it looked like he was going to get up himself, then he leaned back far again, watching Enzo.

"I don't know what it is, but you got me there. I don't get challenged often these days. It can get tiring." He smiled to himself, "Nobody has ever questioned me when it comes to our protection. Allowing them to feed on their foes had always seemed like the natural thing to do. The logical thing. We wolves, we need an outlet at times. Even the strongest chains can't always hold us back, and it's easier to let us just roam free and do our instincts' bidding rather than trust steel and metal to restrain us."

Faelan knew he had Enzo's attention, even though he could also tell that the man was still reluctant to listen, the air around him filled with hostility.

"Of course I had heard of the Original Hybrid. I had considered him an abomination, another atrocity committed against nature. And then he came to me and told me about you. I wouldn't have believed it, had I not experienced it first hand: the painful tingle upon biting you when I attacked you that night… I knew. I had known for a while. You are one of mine, whether you - or I - want it or not, we share the same blood. A vampire," he shook his head, chuckling, "Mother nature must be trying to teach me a lesson, 'nothing is against nature, nothing.' The only thing I simply don't understand, how did you not trigger the werewolf gene? Vampires are killers. You have killed. Why…"

Enzo just raised his eyebrows, smirking unhappily. "Does it really matter?"

"It does to me… But either way, you are here because your kind want to put Fenris back where he belongs. You need my help. I am willing to give it-"

"But you want something in return." Enzo concluded, apparently amusing the older man again, and Enzo had a hard time keeping himself from saying something he'd surely regret later.

To his surprise, Faelan shook his head. "Not what you think. What I want, is peace. Of mind, of body, of the world." He chuckled again, wistfully, then amusedly when he saw Enzo's lost expression.

"I've lived longer than any wolf ever should. My father… he can't be killed. My brothers, however, they slowly got decimated. So I know this life is not forever. I don't know why I'm still here, maybe for this. For fighting Fenris one last time, for meeting you. The future… - But it's time." He paused, taking Enzo in, his height, dark hair, his cheeks, the stance of his body. It really couldn't be denied. That man was his blood.

"You want to die."

"I don't know what you believe in - especially seeing as until very recently I didn't even consider your… kind… to have much of a heart, not to mention a soul…" He smiled again, but Enzo's eyes remained shuttered, his featured devoid of emotion now. "But I hope there's something in the beyond. I've always held that small hope. Because I need to see her again." He sighed, suddenly very earnest, very sad. "Do you know what true love feels like, Lorenzo?"

"I do…" he replied, his answer just a breath. But Faelan had heard him nonetheless. And he nodded.

"Then you'll understand."

And Enzo did.

* * *

…

After a brief and awkward phone conversation, Caroline hid her face behind her hands for a moment before facing Bonnie and Tyler again. She noticed Ty was standing to the side, rather defensively, arms crossed in front of him, head pointed down. He wasn't really looking at her, and she sighed.

This was not going to be an easy relationship. If they truly wanted it to become one, they'd both have to work on it.

"Stefan and Valerie are already there. I tried telling them to stay in the car but apparently they had to walk there and are already surrounded by people from Faelan's pack…" She bit her lip, worry making her panicky. Stefan still meant a lot to her, she hadn't even officially broken up with him and she didn't know what to do or how to deal with the feelings washing over her.

Bonnie was still on the phone with Damon, relaying the information to him as she herself heard it. "I'm going over there," he said, anger and worry making his already hoarse voice even more so, and Elena could be heard in the background telling him she would not allow him to go and that Stefan wouldn't allow it, either.

"Well, too bad," Damon pouted, "he's not here to hold me back and-"

"But we are," Bonnie chimed in, speaking over him, but then Tyler suddenly stepped forward, shaking his head.

"Neither of you can go," he soberly stated, looking from Bonnie to Caroline, speaking loud enough for Damon to hear him, too.

"Tell the Lockwolf to stay out of this," Damon growled.

But Bonnie did no such thing. Instead she exchanged a glance with Tyler, whispering, "My fiancé is there…"

He gave her a warm look, nodding. "I'll go."

"You'd never get there fast enough."

"I can at least try…"

"Tyler," Caroline suddenly said, getting up and walking over to him. She was now even more worried than before. Klaus was there. Fenris' son was there. And a bunch of potentially rival and rabid werewolves. Tyler wouldn't stand a chance.

But he looked at her determined. "I'll go," he told her, as she came to stand right in front of him, "We don't know what they really want. And I'm not gonna let you or Bonnie risk getting involved, too." His intense stare gave Caroline pause.

"I'm sure Klaus wouldn't have brought Enzo there if-

"If he'd known they feed on vampires?" Tyler gave a chuckle, and rolled his eyes, "Trust me, even Klaus doesn't know everything, even he can make mistakes."

She could hear bitterness in his words, but she wasn't quite sure whether it was because of something between him and the Original, or because of their shared past. He was, after all, still bitter about anything and everything involving Klaus, and she knew that her role in all of it was the hardest for him to deal with.

Not even time would have healed that wound.

So she had to go from a different angle. Being harsh had helped her before…

"Look at you, Ty. Your leg isn't even half healed. What good would you be if - _if_ there was to be a fight?" He bristled at her words, sudden anger making his eyes flash. And her voice got milder when she continued. "I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want anyone to get hurt. We will just have to wait and hope that they can take care of it themselves."

"Caroline-"

"We could never get there in time for anything. And I know Klaus isn't perfect, I know how he hurt you, believe me, I wish I had never been a part of that," she looked at him, only realizing after the fact that she did mean it, "but he can hold his own, and he will handle this."

"How do you know?" It was Bonnie, who suddenly stood not far from the two of them, face flushed, holding her cell phone in a vise, muffling the voices coming from there. "He took Enzo there. What if he'll just bail his own ass out by using Enzo as bait."

"He would never do that."

"Are we talking about the same person?"

Caroline sighed, looking down. She rubbed her face, then looked back at Bonnie, shooting a glance at Tyler, too. "You don't know him the way I do," she said to Bonnie, knowing that her words would be hurting Tyler, "You only know his dark side, his evil side. But there's someone in there… someone lonely and abandoned, tormented, just like your boyfriend."

"Don't compare him to Enzo-" Bonnie hissed angrily, but Caroline waved a hand.

"Enzo is my friend, too, Bonnie. People tend to forget that because we didn't go on killing sprees together and I never left him to die in a fire," she jabbed at Damon, knowing he'd hear her, "but he's my friend nonetheless and I wouldn't just leave him alone with Klaus if I believed him to be in danger."

Bonnie looked at her warily, but listening.

"I wouldn't just say this if it wasn't something I believe," Caroline continued, "Something I've seen. But Klaus… is not the monster you think he is, especially not once he's taken a liking to someone. There is good in him, kindness, caring. and trust me, he has taken a liking to Enzo. He's not just going to endanger him because he _can_ -"

"Enzo would never let him," Bonnie said fiercely, and the girls exchanged a look, suddenly chuckling at each other.

"Exactly," Caroline agreed, then sobered again, "So as hard as this is, let's just wait for them to contact us again. - Because honestly? If I were to let you go and do anything other than wait and you'd get hurt? Enzo would probably tear my head off, or my heart out, take your pick."

And while Bonnie smiled at her sadly and they hugged briefly as her friend whispered an "okay," Caroline noticed how Tyler was still standing there, body rigid, a shuttered expression on his face, and she sighed.

They'd have to do some talking later, once everyone was hopefully home safe again…

...


	19. A plan

_Thank you all again for reading. Juno: it's good to have you back. Hope life is only keeping you busy in the good way. Happy to hear you're still reading. :)_

 _Thanks also to jannay, kpmindc, and Jade: yeah, I like a jealous Damon, too. lol_

 _And in case you're still opening this to check for a reply: thanks SunsetFlower. Sorry this is not working for you. I'm curious to know what pairings you'd have preferred and what choices you'd have made instead. But since this is not your cup of tea, you might not even be back to see this. Anyways. Thanks for leaving some feedback._

 _..._

 _There'll be a scene further down below that grazes a bit of a higher-than-T rating. Be forewarned. It's toward the very end... ;)_

* * *

...

"In case you were wondering, love, I survived the visit to the wolf's den." Enzo was leaning against Klaus' car, phone in hand, and examined the snow underneath his feet.

On the other end, Bonnie clutched a shaky hand to her throat, unbidden tears welling in her eyes at hearing his voice.

"Enzo," she breathed, and just that one word, his name, took tremendous effort before it could even leave her lips.

He smiled to himself, unaware of Klaus staring at him from the other side of the car. The Original looked at him with a mixture of concern and curiosity, and a hint of jealousy.

"Are you okay?" Bonnie inquired, and her concern made him feel all warm and fuzzy and he smiled to himself. "Are you-"

"I'm fine, love. The good news is, Faelan is willing to help us stop the apocalypse."

He heard Bonnie sigh in relief. "Thank goodness," she whispered, then her tone got more urgent as she suddenly asked, "Did you meet Stefan? Enzo, Tyler said the pack feeds on vampires, you need to get out of there, now-"

"It's alright," he interrupted her, his voice firm and reassuring, countering the anxiety in her tone. "I've heard that, yes. From the source directly."

"Faelan?"

"Uh huh. But it's not an issue." He closed his eyes for a moment, wiping a hand across them. He was exhausted. "Listen," he said, "we are all alright, and we are coming home now. We can talk more once I'm back."

He didn't want to worry her, but he had started feeling like he was about to keel over and he hoped a bit of rest in the car would help him recuperate enough to make her believe he was okay once he finally saw her again. Maybe he could close his eyes for a bit while Klaus drove them back...

"Okay," she said, sounding sad, and he felt like he'd hurt her. "You sure you're alright?" she asked, he worry evident. "Are the others…"

"Stefan and Valerie are just leaving, too. Made the walk back together."

"Did Klaus-"

"He was a true gentleman," Enzo said, smirking over to the man, "I'll tell you everything later, love. It's mostly just a bunch of family crap, anyways."

"If you say so. Just… be safe, babe."

"Always."

"And just so you know. Next time I won't let you leave without me," she said, and he smiled.

"I love it when you get all possessive of me, Bonnie Bennett," he told her, as he started to see flicks of light explode in his eyes and he tightened his grip on the phone. "I swear, when this is all over, I'll take you to Paris for a getaway…"

She was saying something in return, reciprocating the banter, maybe, talking about dancing under the Eiffel Tower? But his ears were ringing too loudly for him to hear her properly. "Gotta go, love," he breathed, "I. Love you."

He ended the conversation with a last effort before he noticed himself slipping away and he slid down against the car, just as Klaus came speeding around to pull him back up.

"Easy there, Lorenzo," he muttered, and Enzo gave him a half blind stare before his eyes closed of their own accord.

…

They were on the road. Thick blankets of snow hung over the trees to each side of the street. The asphalt was barely visible and the windshield wipers were rapidly moving back and forth across the pane.

Enzo blinked, then dug his fingers into his eyes to clear them.

"Hello there, sleeping beauty." Klaus grinned at him, quickly training his eyes back on the road ahead. "I gave you a sip of my blood."

Enzo gave him a look and wiped his mouth, bewildered.

"You are welcome," the Original said, "You weren't looking so great back there, mate. I figured it couldn't hurt…"

"How kind of you," Enzo mumbled, but then clenched his teeth, making himself say, "Thank you, Nik."

Klaus smiled to himself. "It may be hard to believe for someone like you - what with your only true friend being Damon Salvatore," he chuckled at the name, "But this is what friends do. They look out for each other."

Enzo raised his eyebrows as he tried sitting up straighter in his seat. "And you'd know about that, since of course _you_ are an expert in the field."

Klaus' grin merely widened, but he didn't say another word for a long time.

Enzo decided to close his eyes again, and, leaning his burning head against the cold side window, he got some more much needed rest.

He only woke up when the car came to a stop and the engine finally calmed down, the only noise remaining the light clicking of the heated metal.

"Showtime," Klaus said, then indicated Enzo's injury, "Will you be able to walk in there yourself or-"

"I'll manage," Enzo responded tiredly, looking out the window, trying to ignore both his pain and Klaus' continuous grin. He tried to assess himself, noticing that the pain had dulled down some more and breathing had gotten a little easier. That was at least something.

"Alright then," the Original sounded chipper, "Let's say hi to the old gang. - I see that Stefan has already arrived." He looked around and saw another car. His features darkened a bit at seeing it and Enzo almost grinned. It was Damon's car.

"This should be… interesting," Enzo muttered as he slowly peeled himself out of his seat and began staggering through the even deeper snow covering the front yard to the Lockwood mansion.

How he wished he could have just met Bonnie at home, going straight to bed with her, snuggling up under the covers, her heat against his-

"Are you still there, Lorenzo?" Klaus was standing right by his side, knocking on his temple, making Enzo flinch away. "You seemed to have spazzed out there for a moment. I can't have you do that when I want to be the knight in shining armor to your damsel in distress."

"Very funny, Niklaus." Enzo wasn't amused in the least, but he gave the man a half grin, before he raised his chin and strode ahead of Klaus. "I think it will be better if I ring the bell, what with your glorious people skills regarding pretty much everyone in there…"

"Fair enough." Klaus said nonchalantly, taking a fake bow as he pointed to the doorbell.

* * *

…

...

When Stefan and Valerie had first gotten to the clearing, it had already swarmed with strange people. The atmosphere had been hostile and guarded and both vampires had stopped in their tracks, unsure of what to do next. They had been hopelessly outnumbered.

Stefan's phone had rung just as Valerie had said, "I did not come here to end up as a meal for a pack of werewolves. Can you try and call Klaus again?"

Upon hearing Caroline's news that those wolves were indeed quite likely to enjoy such a vampire meal, he'd motioned for her to retreat, but there had been more pack members coming from the back and they had decided it was safest to just wait.

"We are sitting ducks," Valerie had grumbled, "maybe I can try and use a spell-"

"Don't." Stefan had not been willing to risk them antagonizing all of these wolves when he knew that inside that mysterious cave, Klaus was somehow following the plan of trying to get the mysterious Faelan to join their cause and help eliminate their shared problem.

She had given him a look, but when he'd explained, she had nodded. She had sighed, he had seen a new anxiety in her that he hadn't ever really spotted before, and out of some strange reflex or instinct, he'd grabbed her hand and held it tight.

Until they had seen their two "friends" slowly exit the underground cavern. He'd let go then, finally, and had waved over to them, grimacing, pointing out their company.

But with a sudden flurry, the people had started to grow quiet, then make room, not just for them, but for someone else.

A man. This had to be Faelan.

Stefan had seen him just as his gaze locked on Klaus'. The Original had winked, then shaken his head, and he'd understood immediately. So he had waited as the man had stepped forward, next to the two hybrids and had put an arm on Enzo's shoulder casually.

"Wolves," he'd said, and Stefan had almost rolled his eyes at such a cheesy intro, but he'd sobered quickly when he'd seen the werewolves' responses. They had all kneeled down in the snow, looking up.

"This is the man that stole our locket. The vampire. But he's come here as one of us. One of mine, as my blood runs through his veins just like it does through yours."

There had been a murmur running through the crowd, and a few faces had looked quite angry, one older woman had even gotten up and challenged her leader. "How can he be one of us? He is no wolf. He endangered us all! I could have killed my grand babies because of what he did! Others-"

Faelan had simply glared at her and she had stopped, still bristling.

"Your anger is noted, Maggie. And it has a place. But I tell you all now: Lorenzo is blood! Whatever he did, it doesn't matter anymore. What happened, happened. It is time to move on. We have a bigger problem to face, and we need to be united in our fight. United with those that are strong enough to fight at our side: the vampires."

A roar had gone through the wolves, and Stefan had felt his neck hairs prickle.

"Never!" someone yelled.

"What problem could be so big that we'd willingly side with the enemy? With these _animals_?" Maggie had called out, apparently unaware of the irony of her words, "First you're forcing us to accept one of them into our family, now-"

"I'm not forcing you to do anything. Lorenzo _is_ part of the family. He - like Niklaus here beside him - is what is called a hybrid. Werewolf only in genes, but a vampire, too. He's shown me something I didn't want to believe. He and Niklaus are both related to me. One through my brother, the other through my very own bloodline. And I've come to see that contrary to what we've believed, there is good in vampires, too. They are part of nature, even if it may be different than most everything we know. They can feel. They can suffer. They can love. They can die. And they know evil when they see it."

"Faelan, you can't be serious."

"I am, Maggie. I am… Just like with humans, and werewolves, there is dark souls among them; but regardless, they all do have that: a soul. And they need us to fight against Fenris, my father, who has threatened the end of the world once more. I am asking you now, and think about it carefully: will you join me in this fight? Will you lay down your animosities and stand by our dark brothers and sisters against Ragnarök, the end of the world?"

The crowd had been moving and talking among themselves, and Stefan had caught Valerie's gaze. Had she been thinking the same as he? That they had been on the brink of something big? That it could tip either way? Into something epic: an alliance of werewolves and vampires, banding together to protect the earth. Or into catastrophe: both species bringing their centuries long feud out into the open, fighting against each other, playing into Fenris' evil plans; and he and Valerie would be one of their very first victims.

He had noticed her start chanting something under her breath, and he'd been torn between stopping her and begging her to hurry up, when all of a sudden, the crowd had quieted down and one of them, who had stood at the outer edge, right by the cave entrance, had stepped forward, facing Faelan. Maeve. The witch.

"We stand with you," she had announced, her voice deeper than he'd remembered, and despite a few shouts among the wolves that had sounded differently, most everyone had chimed in, repeating, "We will always stand with you."

And Stefan had exhaled deeply, relieved when he'd seen Valerie had stopped her chanting; then he'd frowned as he'd seen her gaze locked on Maeve's.

...

* * *

…

The door was opened by Matt Donovan. He was out of uniform, a girl huddling behind him. Enzo smirked.

"Fancy seeing you here, Donovan," he said as the man glared at him, his mouth a thin line.

Enzo didn't wait for a reply and just barged in, shoulder checking Matt as he did. There was no love lost between them, they both knew it, and they both knew not to make it a deal in the face of their current situation.

When Klaus followed closely behind him, Enzo saw Matt step into the Original's path and turned around.

"Don't make a scene, _Sheriff_ ," Klaus taunted, tapping the shirt over Matt's chest lightly, before he pushed him to the side.

"Hey," Matt hissed, and Klaus came real close, cocking his head at him.

"What is it, Mattie?"

Donovan squinted at him, stifling his anger as best as he could. "They are my friends. If you try to hurt them, or so much as lead them on or make fun of them, whatever, I don't care… I swear I'll find ways to make you regret it," he hissed, sounding braver than he felt, and glad his voice wasn't shaking.

Klaus backed away a little, but he looked amused. "That's darling," he rasped, "dear Matt Donovan, protector of the innocent, his werewolf friend and vampire ex…"

"Leave him be, Nik," Enzo said tiredly, giving him a quick pat on the arm and a nod of the head, then the Original finally followed him.

Enzo clenched his jaw. This should be fun, he thought. Like bringing the predator into a room full of prey. "You've made too many enemies, Nik," he whispered, giving him a sideways nod, and Klaus winked, his lip curling into a smirk.

"Likewise, my friend, likewise. Just look at those poor Salvatores over there. Methinks Damon here seems rather… jealous of me today."

Enzo couldn't help a snort, but then he saw _her_ , and his features softened, all hybrid banter immediately discarded.

She flew toward him before he even had a chance to say her name, and he felt her arms around his neck as he whirled her around, kissing her, ignoring the shooting pain as she literally took his breath away.

She noticed it, however, and quickly made him put her down, where she examined his face, his body.

"Can't wait, huh, Ms. Bennett? Already undressing me with your eyes when we are still in the middle of a room full of your friends," he teased, his voice just a breath against her ear, and she slapped his arm lightly as she forced herself to remain calm.

"You don't look so hot, babe," she gently told him, and he feigned being hurt by her words, putting a hand over his heart.

"Ouch," he said, and she rolled her eyes at him, playfully, then giving him another kiss before tugging at him, making him go with her, over to the couch. And he gladly followed.

Damon nodded at him from the opposite side, where he was slouching, holding Elena against him, looking as miserable as Enzo felt, and he nodded right back with a smirk on his face.

When he slumped down next to Bonnie, he felt her gentle touch on his healthy arm, and he was so ridiculously grateful for how she grounded him, that he kissed her temple briefly and breathed in her scent for another few moments before concentrating on the room.

* * *

...

Klaus had remained standing by the doorway, taking in the scene.

Alaric Saltzman was there, sitting on a kitchen chair, next to a woman he had never seen before, a beauty, very dark skin, darker hair in a shiny ponytail, not quite what he was used to seeing by the professor's side, and he gave him a knowing wink, which made the man glare back at him.

Caroline was sitting perched on the armrest of a sofa chair that was occupied by none other than Tyler Lockwood. Klaus tipped an invisible hat and smiled at Caroline, bathing in the werewolves bristling angry stare, and the blonde's upset half smile. He could tell she wanted to be angry at him, distant at least, but she couldn't. Not quite.

But he also saw how her hand was clutching Tyler's, possessively,… protectively? He felt himself bristle ever so slightly at the revelation.

She would always be his weakness. He shook his head lightly, smiling to himself. Caroline Forbes… He didn't even quite understand why. Maybe because she had always spoken to his better side, his hidden vulnerable core, the man behind the werewolf and vampire facades. The one buried a long time ago… But she had found him nonetheless, and now he had to deal with having his conscience back, and her being his forever reminder, while that kid sitting with her brought out all the worst in him.

It was a strange battle…

"Did you miss me?" he inquired, looking at everyone, ending with Caroline, and he winked at her as she rolled her eyes and huffed.

"Nik," he heard Enzo's warning voice, and grinned when he saw the older Salvatore perk his ears at the clearly unexpected familiarity. If getting under Damon's skin was a bonus of having Enzo as his new hybrid friend, all the better.

"Enzo," he therefore said in return, stressing both syllables as he curled his lips. But he did refrain from addressing poor Caroline again, or even her little puppy.

"You guys need a room or something?" Damon said, pointing a finger at the two hybrids, "because, whatever you've been doing out there, the vibes you're giving off are that of a loving old couple. Too cute," he chirped, and Elena grabbed his arm. "Damon," she said warningly, and he shrugged apologetically.

"Just an innocent observation."

"Anyways." Stefan looked pointedly at his brother, then at the others in the room. "I already told them a little bit about our new alliance, but feel free to add whatever you deem necessary."

"How kind of you, Stefan," Klaus said, still standing while everyone else was now seated, and he strolled into the room, choosing an empty spot right next to Caroline, grinning past her at Tyler Lockwood as he did.

The kid's whole body was tense, his jaw muscles working. It was only a matter of time till he'd explode. He'd never been able to control his nature, pathetic little werewolf. Klaus almost felt sorry for him.

"Did you tell them we offered to show them how a hybrid is made?" he said, still looking at Tyler, and to his surprise, it was Elena who answered.

"He did," she said, her unwavering stare on him, "He also mentioned that they want a hybrid to lead their pack into the future in case Faelan might not make it… They want another immortal to protect them. But that they are too worried whoever would be turned might not actually survive and that that is where _you_ offered to show them first."

"Thanks for this in depth retelling of what I already know. I've been there, love," he reminded her, but she showed no reaction, not even annoyance.

Instead, she calmly went on, "You conveniently forgot to mention that you'd need my consent. And someone to turn into a hybrid."

"Pretty sure I have both," Klaus said, grinning. He did have a thing for strong women. "You, Elena, would do anything to help your friends, not to mention the whole world. And sweet Tyler here has battled with being a wolf ever since he first turned into one. I hear he hasn't been doing so well since he stopped being a hybrid…," his mock concern seemed to anger Tyler even more, and Klaus turned his full attention to him, staring at him when he continued, "The pain, every month anew, your bones breaking, claws erupting through the flesh, it's getting to you, isn't it?"

"Leave the kid alone, Nik," Enzo said tiredly, just as Caroline hissed, "Klaus," both to no avail. The Original didn't even grace them with a look. "It never gets easier," he droned on, "It's always looming. You're tired of the chains chafing your skin, of waking up naked and torn up, your body sore..."

"Shut the fuck up!" Tyler suddenly yelled out and jumped up and at him, fists clenched so hard his knuckles stood out white, and Klaus grinned at him triumphantly. He raised his chin, looking down on the other man.

"Your little outburst merely proves to everyone that I'm right," he said, "Don't fight it, _Tyler_ , we shall see what you say after the next full moon, which is less than two days from now. But I'd wager a guess and say you'll come _begging_ for me to turn you back into a hybrid."

Caroline, having come at him out of nowhere, suddenly slapped him, startling both him and the boy. "Feisty," Klaus said, eyes flashing, as he touched his cheek and turned his attention to her, shaking his head lightly.

"You stop threatening him, Klaus. Is there something you're not telling us? Because that's the feeling I'm getting," she glared at him challengingly, and he couldn't help but smile. "Are you on our side? Are you in with us? Or are you out? Because if you're here to play games, you might as well leave."

He chuckled, slowly clapping. "Easy now, love," he then whispered, his lips almost touching her ear as he leaned in, and he grabbed her arm as she tried to pull away.

"Take your hands off her!" Tyler growled at him, but Klaus felt entertained by his little show of jealousy and gave him a toothy grin in response. "Or what?" he challenged, and Tyler tried to get at him just as Klaus extended an arm, almost lazily, and trapped him in a chokehold.

Caroline gasped and started clawing at him, anger making her cheeks look flushed. Sexy...

"Can someone please restrain the rabid hybrid?" Damon chirped up from the couch, tired and annoyed, "How about you, Stef? Seeing as you guys are long time ripper buddies? Or maybe Ric? Because of your shared… history. No," he said, pretending to have an epiphany, tapping his head, "Lorenzo, dear, how about _you_ do it. I'm sure among you fellow hybrids you can get this one to be a little friendlier and compliant instead of giving us his alpha spiel. We get it, he's the big bad wolf. But there's an even bigger and badder wolf waiting out there and I'd really really rather get this whole thing over with as soon as possible. I have other matters to attend to…"

Enzo rolled his eyes at him, but surprised Damon and Bonnie by actually pushing himself off the couch and over to Klaus, where Stefan had arrived seconds ago, already quietly imploring the Original to let go, when Enzo got there.

He gently moved Caroline out of the way, giving her a look, and she reluctantly followed suit. Then he pushed himself in between Klaus and Tyler, putting his hand over Klaus' arm.

"Can you two take your rivalry outside? Better still, can you postpone it till we are done here?"

"Did you know we had promised to kill each other once we saw each other the next time?" Klaus inquired, and Enzo cocked his head as Klaus went on, "he's lucky I let him live. That I offered him a chance."

"Come on, Nik. You of all people should know that we have bigger fish to fry. You have accumulated so many mortal enemies over the years - or so I've heard - I'm sure they can wait a little while longer. This kid is what: in his twenties. Cut him some slack. How much of a mess were you at his age?"

Klaus gave him an unreadable stare, but let go of Tyler nonetheless, making him stumble backward and cough as Caroline came to pull him over to her.

"Fine," Klaus said, his gaze locked on Enzo's. "Let's make plans then. I need to get back to New Orleans…"

Caroline stomped over to him, ready to attack, but suddenly Enzo whirled around and held her back, whispering something in her ear. Her shoulders slumped, but she nodded, sniffing, then went back over to Tyler, who had been joined by Matt already, who was talking quietly but urgently to his best friend.

Enzo rolled his eyes at Bonnie and she winked at him sympathetically, patting the couch beside her with a smile. "Come back to me," she mouthed, and he gladly extricated himself from the situation. Walking backwards for a moment, he nodded his head at Klaus. "There's room on the couch," he said, and Klaus smirked as he turned his head to cast a glance at Bonnie. "Three's a crowd," he said, but walked over to the other side, where Tyler had left the sofa chair vacant, and he sat down in it with a smile at everyone.

"Who's first?"

* * *

…

They made a plan.

They went over it a few times.

Rather than trying to track down Fenris - not an easy task, and almost certainly lethal with the armies he was amassing - they'd lure him back to Grove Hill, or Mystic Falls. The vault had held him for a good long time, and he'd only escaped due to the spell being broken. They decided they wouldn't easily find a better, safer place to capture and imprison him.

They talked with Faelan and his pack about it, as their idea heavily involved them.

Faelan would have to function as a bait of sorts, a son seeking out his father, offering up his pack for his big army.

They'd have to stage an attack and get the two wolves to "hide" in the vault. They'd have to leave it to Faelan to come up with a convincing reason why the vault of all places would be a good choice - the trickiest part. Surely, his father was going to be rather suspicious of the place.

They'd have to be fast from there on out.

Bonnie would need the help of other witches, most prominently Maeve's, to be able to cast the spell once Fenris was in the vault.

Since she was now a vampire, she didn't have access to her magic anymore, she could only passively use it, not generate it, which was where the others came in.

She was hoping her ancestors would come through for her, but she couldn't be sure. Grams had warned her before not to go against nature, but she wasn't sure what the Bennetts would do in their situation, when an "abomination" was trying to save the world…

"Does it have to be a Bennett witch?" Maeve had asked, her quiet companion by her side as usual, and it had been Alaric who told her, "Not necessarily, no. But the Bennett line has been one of the strongest witchcraft lines in a long time, their involvement with the supernatural - with vampires and werewolves respectively - goes back centuries, and since we have precedent with a Bennett witch's spell working, we'd rather not risk trying out other ways. Bonnie has to be the one to cast the spell. Hopefully, it won't matter that she'll have a little help. Going by what Klaus said, Beatrice had help, too."

Maeve had nodded. For a second, Bonnie had thought she'd put up a fight, but she hadn't. They'd exchanged a long look, then the werewolf witch had said, "In a way, you are one of us now, too. His blood runs through you," she had gazed over to where Enzo was standing with Damon, and Bonnie had followed with her eyes, biting her lip as the other woman had continued, "And since Faelan sees him as blood, so are you, and we stand by our family. Always."

Bonnie had awkwardly nodded at her, whispering something like a thanks, and feeling stupid. But she hadn't known what else to say, and she had simply been grateful that she had the witch's support.

It was going to be a dangerous and difficult endeavor to face and cage the bringer of the end of the world, and it was reassuring that she wasn't going to have to do it on her own.

* * *

…

"What did you mean, earlier?"

Caroline had snuck up to Klaus once it all was almost over and everyone said their goodbyes for the night. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Tyler stealing a glance at her, his expression tense and wary. She sighed. Hopefully he wasn't misreading her little conversation. She knew how he ticked.

Klaus smiled at her. "Caroline…"

She rolled her eyes at him, mostly just to keep herself from falling for his stupid flirting attempt. "You know what I'm talking about. So?"

He pretended to be hurt, then smiled once more. "Don't fool yourself into believing that you care about the kid, Caroline. You need someone a little more of a man-"

"Like you?" She cocked her head, waiting for an answer. She could see right through him. He pretended to be a man, but deep down, he'd always be the boy. Which is why he had such a hard time dealing with other lost people. He didn't want to be reminded of who he was...

With a wide smirk, he put a hand on her neck, pulling her closer. "Maybe… maybe not. - I'm a father now, and you are a mom. Beautiful coincidence, isn't it?"

"Can you please just answer my question. We both know nothing is gonna come of this. Of us, Klaus. I can't-"

"Can't, or-" His lips were but a millimeter away from hers and she felt heat creep into her cheeks, unbidden.

"Klaus," she hissed, exasperated, and shoved him away. "Just. Don't. I'm… I just want to know whether he needs to prepare himself for anything. What is going to happen during the full moon? Is it because of the wound he got from fighting with Fenris?"

"Jackpot, beautiful," he said, applauding her briefly, "If you care about him so much, you might want to make sure he's not alone when he turns. That's all I'll say. Maybe bring the beautiful Elena, make her see… So that she'll be more willing to give us some of her nectar when Tyler comes crawling to me for help…"

With a swift kiss and a gentle caress of her temple, he pushed himself off the wall he'd been leaning against and made his way to the door. "So long," he said, winking at Tyler as he went, then going over to Enzo and Damon for a moment, whispering something in Enzo's ear before he finally vanished out the door.

Caroline was still staring after him when the door had long closed.

* * *

…

They tumbled through the front door, not caring about turning on the light. His hand was behind her neck, her hair cascading around it, the other on her face, almost forcefully grabbing her, as his lips crashed against hers, his tongue exploring her mouth.

Bonnie managed to somehow throw the door shut behind them, before she had to clutch his chest to stay upright. He hissed out briefly and she apologized, trying to pull away, but he wouldn't let her.

"I'm… so sorry, let me…" she tried to say, but he shushed her with another kiss, pulling her with him, over to the kitchen. It was like an intimate dance, their bodies pressed against each other, until he finally let go of her a little to whisper in her ear, "I've been meaning to do this for a long time now, love. The kitchen is the last room in the house-"

"Enzo," she half giggled, half chided him, "you've been out forever. It's almost morning again and you really need to get some rest. You're still not-"

He put a finger over her mouth, "Don't say it. Let me pretend I'm okay. Let me do things to you, Bonnie Bennett, let me taste you…"

She felt her heart pound in all the right places, making her ache down below, but she put a hand on his chest anyway when he tried to lower her on the kitchen table and said, "No, let _me_ …"

As he stopped his movement, holding her in place for a moment, he raised an eyebrow.

She held the lapels of his jacket, then started shoving them out of her way. "Your turn," she said, and took charge, her fingers wandering down to his belt, unbuckling it a little slower than she had wanted.

"Geez, why is this so difficult?" she asked and had to break eye contact with him to look down to what her hands were doing.

He chuckled. "Need some help?"

"Please?" She wiggled her eyebrows at him, then watched as he expertly and quickly discarded the belt and made to open his flap.

"Nuh uh," she made, taking over again, pushing him over to a kitchen chair as she went about her work. She made him sit, then slowly went down on her knees, looking at him watching her, and took his cock into her hands, then guiding it into her mouth, her tongue gliding over his length as she did…

When she could tell that he was almost there, twitching more and more under her touch, she pulled up the short skirt she'd been wearing, allowing him to tear down her tights and panties before she straddled him, feeling him enter her as she went. She leaned forward, kissing him fiercely, feeling his tongue flick at her teeth, dancing with hers, and she guided his hands down her shirt, under her bra, where the twisting of his fingers made her nipples harden even more, painfully, arousingly so. She was moving up and down now, leaning into the movement, as he leaned farther back, watching as she used her own hand to touch herself, a finger gently circling her clit as she felt him deep inside of her and then…

...

She felt him come when she herself was close, and for one glorious minute she thought he might still be riding out his orgasm when hers would start, but then a sudden loud crashing noise startled her and the next thing either of them knew was that they were laying sprawled in a heap on the floor, the poor chair having broken underneath their combined weight.

They both laughed and laughed, trying to get back up, which proved to be harder than they'd thought. Bonnie was still laughing, but somewhere in the back of her mind worry had already set in and she tried to hurriedly scramble up and off Enzo.

"Oh my gosh, I'm crushing you, aren't I?" she said, half naked and in disarray, putting her hands on the cold floor to lift herself off his chest, mindful of his injury.

"I've had worse than having the hot woman I love crush me after sex," he joked lightly, but she could see in his eyes that he was indeed in pain again, and she heard his breath hitch.

"Right," she said, finally standing again and helping him up next. "But you've also had better-"

"Have I? I think not…"

"Less painful?"

"Can't deny that," he rasped as he came to stand beside her, casually fixing his boxers and pants.

She sighed and gave him a gentle kiss and an even gentler hug. "I'm sorry, babe. Let's get you in bed, okay?"

"Can't get enough of me, can you?" He gazed at her suggestively, and she rolled her eyes at him, smiling.

"I really can't," she whispered, slinging an arm around him, and together they went over to the bedroom.

…

"Are you really okay?" She asked him, later, when they had been lying in bed for a while, and sleep wouldn't come. She was absently stroking his chest on the uninjured side, her head resting in the crook of his neck. She felt him grumble an affirmation. They had talked some earlier, in the car, and he'd told her some of his feelings, and how despite the craziness, she still made him feel at peace, happy. Like he'd finally found his place.

"What about you, Bonnie Bennett. What's going in that pretty head of yours? Are _you_ okay?" He asked in return, and she looked up at him.

"Me? Of cou-" He shook his head, not allowing her to use platitudes. Not with him.

"You have a lot to deal with, love," he said carefully, "You've been a vampire for only a month. I know how you miss your magic… and now you got the weight of the world on your shoulders…"

"Eh, I have your 'relative', dear Maeve, to help me, right? How bad can it get?" she tried to deflect his concern, but she couldn't even convince herself and she sighed, defeated.

"You know you can talk to me about anything, love," Enzo cajoled, his hand caressing her cheek.

"I'm just… it's really okay."

"Bonnie…"

"Okay, fine. No, I'm not alright. I'm worried about you. You were gone forever with Klaus - Klaus of all people - and I sat here, just… _waiting._ Helpless."

"You're not helpless, love. And I was _fine_ ," he muttered, " You are strong. Independent…"

She rolled her eyes. "You're just trying to be sweet, but I'm really not. I'm a freaking vampire that still can't control her stupid emotions - or 'appetites,'" she added, using air quotation marks, "and I keep catching myself trying to chant a spell and then realizing that nothing will happen. Ugh. It's just.. all a little too much."

She was glad when he didn't try to say anything. He just tightened his hold on her, and for a long time, they were just laying there like that, until eventually he whispered quietly, "I'm so sorry, love…"

But she had already fallen asleep by then and he smiled upon realizing it.

"I love you, Bonnie Bennett…"

…


	20. Full moon

_Thanks Lupin and kpmindc!_

 _Lupin, your name just goes so well with a werewolf themed story... ;)_

 _kpmindc, this chapter might not quite be your favorite. Although Damon does jump off a precipice... lol. There's lots of other people in it, but Bonnie and Enzo definitely have their place. How could they not? :)_

 _Anyways. On we go..._

* * *

...

It was getting dark already when Tyler entered the cellar belonging to his family's estate. Everything was still as he'd left it and he sighed at seeing the chains and the rough dark walls. It was going to be a long night, the first time he'd have to do the transition back here again.

He'd had found ways in the past, places, and means to restrain himself. Often, he'd done it alone; at times, when he was still mostly hunting with Jeremy, his friend had stood guard, making sure Tyler didn't manage to barge out.

He'd only had two close calls. A pretty good rap sheet.

Tonight would be different…

He slowly walked into the middle of the room, picking up the heavy chains, checking the bolts one more time. He put his bag down and let it fall open, revealing the bottle of water mixed with wolf's bane. He picked it up, grimacing. Klaus had been right. It never got easier.

He inhaled deeply, holding the air in his lungs for a long moment as he unscrewed the cap. The smell made him turn away his head and he coughed into his bent arm. Then he lifted the bottle to his lips and chugged the contents down as fast as he could.

He'd learned to keep the stuff down over time, but he was still gagging, his stomach revolting. He wiped his mouth and got up. He took his clothes off. There was no need or time for modesty anymore. Then he chained himself up and waited.

* * *

…

It smelled dank and musty, just like the last few times she'd been down there, but she really didn't care. "Tyler?" she called out. He had to be down here already. "Ty?"

He'd told her not to come, that he'd do this alone. She'd argued with him. He'd let her know that he didn't need her there, because he'd done it a hundred times over without her there. She'd thrown Klaus' vague threat at him, pleading to let her help like she'd done before. It hadn't been pretty.

In the end, he'd walked out on her, upset and hurt. Because he still wasn't over anything involving Klaus, and she couldn't really blame him.

Except, she did. She wasn't without fault, but neither was he. His vendetta against Klaus needed to end, and if he couldn't get his jealousy under control, their relationship wouldn't stand a chance.

She'd sworn to herself she would just leave him be. Realize on his own that he may have wanted her there after all.

She'd gone over to talk to Stefan instead.

…

When he'd opened the door and seen Caroline waiting on the step, his features had hardened ever so slightly. She'd just heard him laugh before, and she'd hoped that that meant he was in a good mood, but when she looked past him into the Salvatore home, she'd spotted Valerie in the back, and her hopes had dissolved.

"Can we talk?" she'd said, her words so cliché that she'd flinched. But he had nodded and closed the door a little behind him, then waited.

Okay, she'd thought, clearly he wasn't going to let her in. She could understand that.

"What is she doing here?"

"Valerie?" He'd raised an eyebrow. "Does it matter?"

He had not been willing to make it easier for her. She had probably deserved that, but still. He'd annoyed her.

"No, of course not. I… I just… Are we… Is this over, Stefan? Us? I mean…" She'd trailed off, feeling helpless and a little hopeless. She'd needed him. But he'd retreated from her instead.

"You tell me, Caroline: Are we over? Because, if I recall correctly, _you_ were the one hooking up with your ex-boyfriend-"

She had huffed at him, grinning exasperatedly. "Are you kidding me?"

He had crossed his arms, squinting at her. "I'm dead serious, actually. You and Tyler-"

"You were so busy doing anything other than noticing me! You were hanging out more with Valerie than with me! You didn't want to hear it when I told you about my struggles with the girls and Alaric. And when Enzo and Damon got taken hostage by Fenris, you wouldn't even really let me help. Or do anything for you. I saw you breaking down once, you know that?" She had thrown the words at him and he'd seemed hurt by the way she did it, "But of course dear Valerie was already there to be your shoulder to lean on. You never gave me a chance."

"Is this now my fault?"

"No!" She had expelled air through her nose, glaring at him, then her shoulders had sagged, defeated. "It's not your fault," she had sighed. "I'm… just sad it didn't work out the way I had hoped. I thought we'd be endgame, you know? But we didn't ever survive any of our crises, did we?"

They had gazed at each other for a long moment, until the silence had grown so loud in Caroline's ears that she'd felt the urge to say something again.

Right then, Stefan had suddenly nodded, extending a hand to gently touch her chin. "I'm sorry I wasn't the man you needed, Caroline."

She had chewed on her lips.

"I'm sorry we didn't work out. The way you were with Tyler… I don't think you've ever been like that with me…"

She had frowned, confused. "What do you mean? I was just-"

"You still care about him. You never stopped. The way you two are around each other… It's hard for me to admit that, but there's a passion in you, a fierceness when you're with him. The way you stood up for him against Klaus. It wasn't even a big deal, but…"

"I would have stood up for you, Stefan."

He had smiled at her wearily. "Maybe you would have, Caroline," he had quietly allowed, but she had seen it in his eyes that he hadn't actually believed it.

She had no recollection of how she'd even managed to leave afterward. She remembered that they had hugged and then…

…

She'd found herself back in the car, crying for a long time. She'd considered calling Bonnie, but then she'd remembered that Bonnie had just had her little scare with Enzo gone and that the two of them were probably otherwise engaged. They deserved to have some peaceful time to themselves and she wasn't going to ruin that for them.

Elena would have been likewise engaged. The girls were sleeping at Ric's new place. And caroline had felt like there was no place for her.

Nowhere to go.

But of course that wasn't true.

"Tyler." She said when she'd climbed down all the stairs and eventually found him sitting huddled against the wall, chains in place, perspiration shining on his face, on his body, despite the icy cold.

"You should go," was all he said, but there was no vehemence, no fight behind his words, and she smiled at him sadly.

"I'll be right here," she said, watching him from behind the bars of the gate. She got a good glimpse of the still rough looking wound on his leg, but at least most of the gashes had healed up semi decently. She swallowed. She still didn't know what Klaus had meant. What would happen? Would the pain be even worse? Would Fenris' bite not heal after all? Would it get worse?

She heard Tyler's breathing become more labored, and she reminded him, "I'm here. It's going to be okay."

But would it be?

…

It was close to the full moon rising, she could tell it by the way he grew more agitated. He was starting to pace around, moaning in pain, then, finally, the transformation began, and she still couldn't bear seeing him like that.

She still sometimes heard his screams from the first time he'd ever turned. And now these new screams were mixing in with the old echo. She scrunched up her face, silently crying for him and she continued talking to him, cursing the fact that she couldn't do much else.

"Make it stop!" he yelled at some point, to no one in particular, yet she felt like he was imploring her, and her heart was breaking for him all over again.

"Make it stop. Please…"

She could see his body writhe in pain, heard the horrible noises of the transformation, the breaking bones, the claws against the hard cold floor, she saw his skin tear and become deformed by whatever strange magic the moon worked on him, and then, it suddenly seemed to stop, halfway in, bones still broken, nothing newly assembled, and Tyler lay panting on the floor, wide eyed and terrified.

He was in agony for hours, half human and half wolf. But when Caroline told him she was going to come inside, he still yelled at her to stay away, because he didn't, couldn't know whether he'd complete the transition and accidentally hurt her.

Caroline shook her head, sobbing, clawing at the gate separating them, as she finally made up her mind and opened it, ignoring his protests. And she came rushing in to him, gently stroking his broken body, afraid to hurt him more.

"What if I'm not going to get back to normal?" Tyler eventually asked, after they'd sat like that for a long time, and though he didn't look at her when he asked it, she could hear and feel that he was crying.

"It will," she insisted, though she had asked herself the same question.

"If it doesn't, I'll… I'll have to end it-"

"Tyler…"

"Promise me you'll help me end it."

She was sobbing again by then, and it took great effort for her to whisper out one resigned, "I will."

So they both waited, waited, Caroline's tears streaming down her cheeks. She was feeling helpless at witnessing all this.

Then, at last, morning dawned. Suddenly, an unknown force was tearing at Tyler once more, opening the wound in his leg, making him scream out one last time, then his eyes finally rolled back into his head and beautiful unconsciousness enveloped him.

Only then did his limbs begin to gradually, very slowly, revert back to their original state and Caroline tightened her grip on him, pulling him toward her, and she buried her face against him. "You're alright," she muttered, "You've done it."

And she swore she was going to tear Klaus Mikaelson a new one for letting that happen.

* * *

...

It was rather bright when Enzo opened his eyes again, and he startled when he saw Bonnie slide back into bed right next to him, balancing a tray on one hand.

"Good morning, love," he rasped, his voice even darker from sleep, and he touched his chest absently when he noticed that the searing pain he'd gotten used to was suddenly just a numb throb. He looked down, pulling the bandage back a little and was surprised to see that the nasty wound suddenly looked much better than just a day ago.

"Breakfast in bed," Bonnie was announcing when she caught him examining himself, and she put the tray down to lean over to him, gently helping him to undo the bandage. Her eyes widened, "Is this thanks to your newly discovered hybrid nature or something? Should we have known this? Does this have anything to do with the full moon last night? I mean, that can't be coincidence-"

"That's a lot of questions on an empty stomach in the early morning," he chuckled, but she didn't look like she was in the mood for joking.

"I'm serious," she said, shoving a glass filled with blood at him. When she saw his slightly amused curious look, she reluctantly explained, "I wanted it to look nice..." She pouted. "Just because we are both vampires now doesn't mean we have to live off of ugly blood bags and the occasional awkward kill."

"The occasional awkward kill?" He smirked when she squirmed.

"You know…"

He raised an eyebrow. "Do I?"

She slapped him lightly, "You know… I mean, you do kill people occasionally. I know that and… oh my gosh, don't make me talk about this now. Please?"

He chuckled and leaned forward, giving her a kiss, then pulling her down with him. "You are adorable when you're awkward, Bonnie Bennett."

"I'm not awkward."

"You are adorable, though."

She nudged him. "Anyways. Let's stick to discussing _you_."

"Is that a euphemism?"

"Enzo!"

They didn't get much further, because right then, the doorbell suddenly rang and not two seconds later someone was banging against their door. Enzo closed his eyes briefly, then tried getting up, but Bonnie pushed him back down, "I got it. You stay here, I'm not done with you, yet."

And she rushed down the stairs to open the door, already knowing who it would be.

"Damon…"

He whirled around to face her, swigging a bottle of bourbon as he went and taking a large mouthful of it, some of the golden liquid spilling over and he had to wipe his mouth.

"Bon Bon!" he exclaimed with a grin she could immediately tell was fake, and he stumbled past her into the house. "Where's my boy Enzo? I could use a drinking buddy, and something tells me you're not up to the task," he mumbled, his tongue thick, and she frowned at him.

"It's 8 in the morning, Damon. Does Elena know you're here?"

"She does, actually. Yeah. And I have her blessing." He held up the bottle, toasting to himself, then slumped down on the couch.

"Okay… Can I do anything?"

He made a face, "Just get Enzo here, Bon. It's a guy thing, I'm afraid. Unless he's too busy flirting with his new hybrid boyfriend Klaus." He spat out the last word like a curse and Bonnie gave him a sympathetic look, then surprised him by giving him a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"I wasn't a fan of that development, either," she whispered, "But turns out that Klaus does seem to act like a true friend-"

"'Act' being the important word here, Bon, don't let him deceive you."

"Enzo can take care of himself."

Damon cocked his head, "Can he, though? Didn't seem like it to me."

"You mean back when you turned your humanity off to protect yourself and left him to burn alive?" Bonnie challenged, that part of her boyfriend's and best friend's shared past still a sore spot for all of them, and it satisfied her a little when he grimaced at the reminder.

He was spared a reply, when suddenly, Enzo showed up downstairs, all dressed, much to Bonnie's dismay, and he sat down opposite Damon, stretching his legs.

"Are we drinking already?" he asked, and Damon handed him the bottle.

"Indeed we are, my friend. Have a sip. And then let's head outta here. We have things to discuss."

Enzo and Bonnie exchanged a meaningful glance before she announced, "I'm gonna leave you guys to it and head on over to Elena."

"Tell her I love her," Damon said and saluted her. She grinned at him, then quickly went over to Enzo, kissing him.

"Don't let him do anything stupid," she told him, pointing at Damon, then she added in a whisper, "He's jealous of Klaus. Have a little mercy, okay?" Enzo grinned at her, then pulled her down to give her another kiss for good measure.

"See you boys later," Bonnie said, then went upstairs to go get dressed and call Elena.

* * *

…

"Why are we drinking?" Enzo asked, watching Damon as he took another swig out of the now almost empty bottle, and he got up to provide a drink of his own, opening a cabinet and getting an old Scotch out. "Here," he said as Damon discarded the other bottle with a last regretful look.

"How's your injury?" He then asked, pointing, and Damon made a face again.

"Part of the reason I'm here. Still there. Still painful as shit. Yours?"

Enzo frowned, but composed himself quickly. "Better, actually. I don't know what strange magic that old wolf has in him, but seems like the full moon last night helped make it more bearable finally. I take it that was not the case for you then…"

Damon furrowed his brow, then raised an eyebrow. "I'm beginning to get really jealous and annoyed with your new werewolf genetics, Lorenzo. Mostly just annoyed, though."

Enzo smirked at him, but didn't say anything. It wasn't like he'd chosen any of this. All he'd ever wanted was to know his place in life, to have a family, to know his roots. And now he did.

Coming to terms with it was a whole other deal.

"But that's not why I'm here," Damon took another sip, nodding appreciatively, "this is good stuff."

"Everything is good stuff when you've had as much to drink as you, Damon…"

Damon grinned.

"So why _are_ you here?"

"To ask you a question. One I can't ask anyone else, really. You and Bonnie… you know she's the one, I can see it in your eyes. In hers, too. You two are it. Like me and Elena. It sound so cheesy, but it's true: Epic love, right?"

Enzo listened, wary.

"I know you, Enzo. If anything were to happen to her, you'd," Damon licked his lips, suddenly stopping himself. He had noticed how tense his friend had gotten. He might have been drunk, but not that drunk that he didn't realize he'd steered into dangerous territory. "It's like that with me and Elena, too. I would die without her. Barely made it through the last three years, we all know that," he chuckled, but his eyes remained untouched by it. "Anyways. As much as that is true, it's also true that we both would do anything for our girls, wouldn't we?"

Enzo gave the briefest of nods. He had an idea where this was going, but he decided to let Damon continue to find his own words.

"I'm going to take the cure. Tonight. Elena and I have discussed it. According to Alaric and some others, it's my best shot at fighting this obnoxious über-wolf-infection," he pointed to his throat, "and seeing as I'm no help for anyone in my current state, I may as well get it over with, even before we've taken care of our lycanthropic apocalypse problem. But - and here you come into play… - while I'm not afraid to die anymore, not per se, anyways, I'm afraid to leave her alone. Elena…" He chugged a good amount of the contents of the bottle before finally passing it over to Enzo, who took a large mouthful too, his gaze locked on Damon's all the time. "If I end up dying because of this, you'll have to promise me to look out for her. You and Bonnie…"

"Damon."

"No. Let me… - I'd ask Stefan, but the two of them got history and frankly, that could get awkward. Also, he's currently heartbroken over blondie having broken off their relationship in favor of that wolf - while you, my friend, have taken away his only true male friend out there…"

"You're not going to die today, Damon Salvatore."

"Well, I hope not, I'm just saying…"

"Tell you what," Enzo interrupted him, leaning forward, arms on his legs, "when Bonnie and I daydreamed about what we'd do if I were to ever have a shot at humanity again, she told me I'd have to check all the boxes of my bucket list first."

"Typical Bon Bon, always prepared, always thorough…"

"Needless to say, I don't have a bucket list, so we had to come up with something." He got up, extending a hand to Damon, who looked at him questioningly, "Let's get going, Damon Salvatore, today is your bucket list day. We will start at the race track…"

Damon looked at him, puzzled, frowning.

"Come on."

"I still need an answer," the older Salvatore insisted and Enzo gave him a look, exasperated, yet deep down understanding.

"Of course I'd look out for her. Bonnie, too. And your brother," he breathed, then rolled his eyes theatrically, "but enough of this drama king talk, and let's get going."

Damon nodded, smiling. Then he got up and followed Enzo outside, leaning heavily on his friend as he did.

"We will definitely need to sober you up a bit," Enzo smirked, then averted his face with a a grimace as Damon's alcoholic breath stung his nose.

* * *

…

Damon and Elena had spent the last month almost exclusively in bed, except for a few outings here and there, and it had been in bed that they had finally made their decision.

"Why wait," Damon had said, "if the world is going to end, I just want to be by your side as a human once before it's all over. I can't fight anyone or anything like this anyway. I'm no use-"

"Damon," she'd shushed him with a finger to his lips, wiggling closer to him, "you are 'of use' to me." She'd looked at him determinedly, driving home a point. "I love you."

"And I love you, Elena Gilbert."

She'd smiled at him, then turned serious again. "I just don't want to lose you, Damon. I'm…"

"Everyone that's helped look into this for us agrees: Bon, Alaric, his new love interest Ms. Sexy Professor…" She had rolled her eyes at him, chuckling briefly as he'd gone on, "they all seem to agree that my best chance at healing properly and quickly is the cure. It's like a supernatural remedy, Ric actually thinks it might even undermine the rest of the werewolf venom."

"What if they're wrong?"

"They're not. Elena… I'm going to take the cure. We've gone over this a million times. I've gone over it a million times on my own, before… When you were still 'sleeping.' I'm as ready as I can be."

He'd looked at her, his hand playing with her hair, and she'd seen his determination. He hadn't looked scared at all. Not then. And so she'd tried to put on a brave face for him and nodded.

…

As she was telling Bonnie all this, however, she was crying. She was anxious, terrified. She had no idea how she was going to survive this.

"It was supposed to be a pro forma type thing, you know? He takes the cure, he becomes human, and we live our boring happy human lives together for ever after. And then that stupid wolf jeopardized all that."

"Elena, you could have lost him already," Bonnie said gently, reminding her how close Damon had come to death that night when Elena had woken up.

"Like I almost lost you," Elena said, squeezing Bonnie's hand.

"No. You _found_ me. We thought we'd never see each other again when Kai cast his spell. But here we are." She smiled at her friend warmly. "Now look at us, if that's not a good omen…"

Elena chuckled, but it wasn't quite the happy sound it should have been.

"So now we are really going to do it. It's really happening, and I'm sitting here alone because he suddenly ran out like a mad man, telling me there was just one thing he still needed to do. I mean, what am I supposed to make of that?" She was still terrified. Bonnie could tell, and she gave her friend a hug when she said with a smile, "You know Damon. He gets scared too, but he doesn't want to let you see it. So he went over to our place," just then she got a message on her phone and she started smiling when she read it, "see?" she said, and showed her the text Enzo had written.

 _Turns out, bucket list day is here after all. Took Damon out to the race track. Next step: paragliding._

"Bucket list day?" Elena asked, puzzled, and Bonnie explained, then added, "Enzo will be taking good care of him and return him to you tonight. In time for the big moment. If you want, we will be there with you. Just say the word."

The two friends hugged for a long time, until Bonnie's and Elena's phones both beeped and they looked up, puzzled, worried, to see a message from Caroline pop up.

They looked at each other, alarmed.

* * *

…

For a while, she'd remained sitting there, still waiting. Maybe she hadn't trusted the sudden calm and peace. But she knew she needed to get him out of there, needed to get him somewhere warmer, needed to wrap him up in a blanket first.

When he woke up, she quickly kneeled down by his side again, looking down into his troubled face, ready to hold him again if he'd let her.

Her face scrunched up as she saw the raw emotions in his face, the fear, the exhaustion, the resignation, the pain…

"How are you feeling," she quietly asked as she helped him slowly get up. "Easy, easy. Are you sure you can stand?" She frowned, worried, and tried to help him but he was already up, and slowly, shakily, trying to put his clothes back on. She looked at his thigh, the gash still open, if not bleeding anymore.

"Does it still hurt?" She whispered, not just meaning the thigh, and he just stared at her for a moment, still so very quiet, before he finally muttered one small, "I'm okay."

"You're not," she realized, and it took just that confirmation to make him break down and start crying and she rushed over to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly, as her own tears started flowing anew.

"I'm so so sorry," she muttered, and she bit her lip, trying to stop herself from sobbing when he choked out, "I can't do this again."

"We'll go to Klaus," she started, but he pulled away, angrily wiping his eyes.

"I'd rather die," he said brusquely, putting some stuff back in his bag, then started to limp over to the stairs.

"Tyler."

He turned around briefly, looking defeated rather than angry. He smiled at her. "I can't," he muttered.

"Then I will. I'm not gonna let you suffer like that, and I'm not gonna allow you to just go and kill yourself or something." She knew him too well. He was so impulsive, she knew he'd try it. "Liv-"

"Don't say her name," he hissed, a sudden anger in his voice that made her widen her eyes, but not back down.

"She wanted for you to live, remember? You owe her-"

"I don't owe her anything! I didn't want this! I didn't want to survive her, I didn't want to be forced into killing her, I didn't want to become _this_ again, I didn't…" He slumped down on the stairs, sitting there with his face buried in his hands, unable to finish talking. Caroline stood across from him, rooted to the spot, unsure of what to do or say. There was nothing she could do to make any of this better. She let her shoulders sag, sad and defeated.

"I know you didn't want any of it. I'm so sorry you had to go through all this. And I promise I'll do anything to help you make it go away. But I'm not sorry to admit that I'm glad you're still here, Tyler," she said, looking at him, while he was still not looking at her. "I love you, Tyler. I always will. No matter what."

He raised his head then and their gazes met.

* * *

…

Damon was currently pushing himself off a precipice into a lake, a bungee cord hauling him back up at the last minute, when Enzo got a message from Bonnie and his expression darkened. Turning his back on his friend, he took his phone and dialed a number.

"Enzo my friend, I was just thinking of-"

"What the hell, Nik? Did you knowingly allow a kid to suffer through what amounts to torture because you still hold a grudge?"

"Tyler Lockwood," Klaus said, sounding annoyed, and Enzo felt just as annoyed himself. He didn't necessarily care about Lockwood, but he knew the kid was Bonnie's friend, and even if he wasn't, if he didn't tolerate one thing, it was torture. And what Bonnie had just relayed to him, that definitely counted as such, especially in light of Klaus' ominous remarks about it before.

"If you knew that would happen, why didn't you-"

"I didn't _know_ anything for sure, Enzo," Klaus hissed, "I just suspected."

"You suspected he'd go through excruciating pain but you didn't try to warn him and offer-"

It was Klaus' turn to get angry, "What would you have me do, Lorenzo? You don't know the… troubled relationship I have with the 'boy.' He would have never in a million years listened to anything I said. He _had_ to see, to experience it for himself. And in case you didn't know, I did try to warn dear Caroline that the full moon would not be pretty - not that it ever is for any wolf… There have not been many cases of this before. Most don't survive a bite by our dear Fenris. The kid is lucky he's made it through the first attack, not to mention the first full moon. The few I've seen… they killed themselves either halfway through or later…"

"Why the hell didn't you tell him any of that? He could have died."

"Have you been listening, mate?" Klaus asked him, anger dissipating and making room for tiredness. "The kid would have done the opposite of what I'd have suggested. We don't have that kind of relationship."

"The woman you can't let go loves him, Nik. You know that, right? You know that's not the way to win her heart."

Klaus chuckled. "I do know that, yes. Thank you. Love and hate are complicated emotions, Enzo. You're still young. But trust me, once you've lived a thousand years, it will become clearer. You'll see the nuances-"

"I found my love. I don't need to see 'nuances.' And I fucking hate torture."

It was quiet on the other end for some time, then Enzo could hear the Original exhale loudly.

"You would," he muttered. "Not that it changes anything, but if I had known about that Society that trapped you, I'd have torn them apart myself."

Enzo's lips curled into an involuntary smile, but he didn't say anything.

Klaus went on, "All I can offer now is to do as I said and turn him into a hybrid."

Enzo sighed, rubbing his eyes. He swallowed, his gaze falling on Damon who was clearly enjoying himself. "It'll have to wait till tomorrow," he said, "Can it?"

Klaus was smart enough to read his question as what it was, a warning. If there was anything else he hadn't told them, if Tyler was still somehow in danger, he'd better tell Enzo now.

"I'm sure that should not be a problem," he said, a smile in his voice. "You just make sure the kid will be there, and the doppelgänger. I'll do the rest."

"Until tomorrow, then."

"We should have a drink once it's done," Klaus said, chipper once more, "talk about you visiting me in New Orleans when the big bad wolf is finally taken care of…"

He had hung up before Enzo could even begin to wonder about the strange invitation.

* * *

…

"Did you have a good day?" Elena asked as Damon was slow dancing her through the living room, and he nodded, cocking his head at her.

"It's a good thing we have friends like Enzo and Bonnie that are better prepared for our life than we are ourselves," he said and made her chuckle.

"Bonnie mentioned the bucket list idea. I knew you'd like it," she muttered, then kissed him, and tugged at his hand to lead him over to the couch.

"How could I not like something that involves fast cars and speedy airplanes?"

"And bourbon?" She nagged, smiling as he rolled his eyes.

"Scotch, actually. Enzo and his Britishness. Can't trust an Englishman to provide my favorite drink on my potential last day on this earth-"

"Last day as a vampire," Elena raised her eyebrows as she corrected him. "Besides, isn't his heritage Irish now, anyway?"

"Who knows?!" Damon rolled his eyes, looking annoyed, "With the rate his life story changes lately, he'll soon be a merman from Atlantis for all I know. But let's please not talk about Enzo on this beautiful night."

She could see through him. He was still jealous, but she was gladly willing to play along and for one beautiful night forget that other people even existed.

They both grew quiet, the atmosphere slightly tense, when Damon eventually held up the little vial of Elena's blood that Bonnie had helped her extract just a little earlier.

"Are you ready to be human with me till death do us part?" Elena asked, trying to smile, and Damon leaned forward, kissing her gently, before he pulled back, then quickly chugged the red liquid before either of them had a chance to change their mind.

"I just hope death is a long ways away," he told her, "I love you, Elena, and I really want to grow old with you first."

* * *

...

The day ended with a still gloriously beautiful if not completely full moon. Stars were out. The air was crisp and so cold that Bonnie had put on a thick coat, a scarf, and a beanie, and she was still cold.

But as she walked home with Enzo now, leaving the car behind at the side of the road, a few miles from home, out of some strange sense of adventure, she embraced the freezing temperatures as they allowed her to snuggle up even more with him. Not that she'd needed an excuse to do that…

Enzo had brought Damon home an hour ago, when she and Elena had just gotten back from the Lockwood mansion where they'd met with Caroline, Matt and Tyler. They'd all implored the latter to let Klaus do his thing, and he'd put up a fight for the longest time.

Bonnie sighed at the memory. The world was about to end, yet they all still had to fight their own personal fights.

"Can we just do something mundane tonight?" she asked Enzo, and he pulled her against him some more.

"Like what?"

"I don't know, just… Damon is going to take the cure and though I told Elena it would all be alright, I'm actually really scared. I guess I could use some distraction."

Enzo kissed her on the head, tightening his hold on her. "He _will_ be alright. He's Damon Salvatore," he muttered, but then whirled her around suddenly. "Care to dance, Bonnie Bennett?"

"What?" She chuckled, allowing him to swirl her around as tiny snowflakes were beginning to fall around them. He tangoed through the cold with her, bending over till she almost touched the ground, then hurling her back up. He placed a kiss on her lips before he continued, circling the roadside with her, the wind in the trees their only music.

It was a beautiful moment and it certainly fulfilled its purpose. For a few precious minutes Bonnie completely forgot any worries she had and just danced with the man she loved, until he stopped to kiss her, passionately, their only light the moon above. But they didn't need light, either, just as they didn't need music, she thought, just as it registered with her that there was a sudden flash of light coming toward them.

Out of nowhere a car swerved toward them and while Bonnie's mind refused to process it, Enzo quickly pushed her to the side with him at the last minute. They fell and tumbled down the ditch, until they came to lay among decaying leaves in the snow. A little further up, they heard a loud crash as the car collided with something, possibly a tree.

Bonnie was breathing heavily, the air she exhaled a plume of condensation lingering over Enzo, and he held her tight as she found her bearings.

"Are you alright, love?" He breathed and she nodded her head.

"You?" She patted him down, gently indicating his chest.

He flinched, but nodded. They'd both gotten a few scratches from the fall, but nothing that wouldn't heal up again super quickly, thanks to their vampire nature.

His side felt a little more tender again, still not completely healed, but it didn't feel too bad, considering. Somewhere deep down he knew he wouldn't have survived their tumble if the full moon - or whatever it was - hadn't worked it's magic just the night before.

"Oh my gosh," she suddenly said, exchanging a look with him, "We have to go check on the people in the car."

They both scrambled up quickly and sped over to the now upturned vehicle. Its lights were blinking, and smoke was coming out of the heavily dented front. Enzo gave Bonnie a sign, indicating that he'd check on one side, she on the other.

"The door is open," Bonnie gasped, "Looks like the driver got out and…" she trailed off as she saw Enzo leaning into the back of the car, pulling someone out. The person, a girl, had blood all over her shirt, and Bonnie froze.

It was just like when she'd had her accident… When she'd died.

"Enzo…"

"I got this. Three people in the car. You call 911 and see whether you can find the driver."

"I…" Her voice was too shaky to say anything, but Enzo's imploring stare calmed her.

"I know, love," he sighed, understanding, clenching his jaw as he continued to haul the girl out of the car. "Just go look for the driver," he panted, "They might be in shock. I'll… take care of the rest."

She nodded, then forced herself to focus. Looking down on the street, she could finally make out footprints. The person had gone off in the direction they had just come from. She sped off to follow the tracks, glancing back at Enzo one last time.

…

It didn't take her long. A young man, almost a kid still, was staggering slowly in the middle of the road, and she called out to him when she'd gotten close enough so that he'd hear her.

"Hey," she said, "Are you okay?"

He turned around to face her and she stopped short. A strong smell of blood hit her unprepared. She felt the veins under her eyes pulsate and touched them gingerly, remembering that they might stand out like she'd seen them do on other vampires.

But the kid didn't seem to notice, or to care. He just stared at her. "I have to go get help," he mumbled, looking distraught and out of it. Then he turned away from her again.

"We called 911," she said, pointing back toward Enzo, even though the kid couldn't see it. "Hey," she made again, touching his shoulder, "stop."

He shook her off. "I need to go," he said.

"You need to sit down."

When he didn't, something happened with her, and she would never be sure what it was. Anger? Reflex? Instinct?

The smell had gotten even stronger. He was bleeding somewhere, she couldn't tell where. All she knew was that she couldn't control herself anymore. It was too strong. The urge to bite, to feed.

…

"Bonnie!"

As Enzo pulled her back forcefully, making her look him in the eyes, she finally dove back up from whichever depths she'd sunk to, and she watched as the kid's body slumped to the cold ground lifelessly.

"What…"

Enzo closed his eyes, defeated. Upset. Had _she_ upset him? What had just happened?

The kid…

"Oh gosh," she gasped, wanting to fall down on her knees to check on the stranger, but Enzo held her tight, preventing her from doing so. "I need to see whether I can-"

"He's gone, love." Enzo looked at her as she frowned at him.

"But… no, I just. I just had to… the smell," she stammered, "it was too strong. I couldn't…"

He looked so awfully, heartbreakingly sad. "I know…"

"I… did I kill him?" Her words were barely audible, even in the quiet of the night. She felt herself fisting Enzo's too thin jacket, holding on for support, clinging to him as her knees grew weak. She was a monster. She had killed an innocent kid.

"He would have probably died anyway," Enzo tried, making her look, gently but insistently turning her head toward the body, pointing at the back of the head where she could now see a large gash-like injury. But all she could think was that she had killed him, robbing him of at least a chance at survival and she broke down sobbing, leaving Enzo to try and pick up the pieces.

He managed to get her back to their car, pretty much carrying her for most of the way. With a gentle stroke of her cheek and a kiss on her hair, he sped into the night, taking care of it all.

Later, in the warmth and safety of their home, she'd ask him to tell her about it and he reluctantly recounted the events. How he'd gotten the three passengers out of the car, giving them his blood to heal them, compelling them to not remember he was ever there. "You had an accident," he'd told them, "but you got lucky and made it out alive."

He'd brought the driver back to the car, covering up what Bonnie had done to him by making it look like the windshield had somehow crashed into his neck, killing him as it did. He planted that memory in the other kids' heads, then left before anyone showed up.

They'd never know any better.

"Maybe they could have all survived," Bonnie muttered, tears still blurring her vision as she'd lost herself in Enzo's warm eyes.

"I'm so sorry, love. It's all my fault," he'd replied, "I made you what you so deeply despise. I wasn't there enough to help you through coming to terms with it. And now you…"

She shushed him then, throwing herself at him, trying to kiss him, but he pushed her away, giving her a look so full of despair and sadness that her heart broke once more not just for herself - for the witch she had been, but also for the vampire that had found love after knowing nothing but pain, and who believed he'd destroyed everything by holding on too hard to what he couldn't let go: her...

"It's not your fault," she whispered, "I love you, Lorenzo St. John. I don't know how yet, but I'll get over this - _we_ will get over it. As long as I got you, I'll always be okay…"

She saw him swallow heard as he let his head droop, and she tugged at him, kissing him fiercely, forcefully, clawing at him out of some desperate need to be with him, be one with him, to forget the world around them, because he made everything better.

As passion eventually took over, he answered her needs and hoisted her up into the air, and she straddled him, tearing his pants open as his hands pushed down her panties.

"Fuck me," she demanded, "hard!" and she took his hand and placed it on her clit, showing him how she liked it, feeling him thrust harder and harder inside of her, while his fingers played with her achingly gently, until she finally, finally came and the pain ebbed away with every new wave passing through her body.

"We will be okay…," she muttered eventually, her head resting against his clavicle, and she knew it would be true...


	21. To everything, turn turn turn

_As always: special thanks for the feedback. And thanks for just reading._

 _This chapter was a bit tough to write. I hope it isn't too disjointed. Sometimes he images in my head - including the scene jumps - are difficult to put into words._

 _We are probably also nearing the end._

* * *

...

As the cold tightened its grip on the world, powdering white over every town and city, over fields, and streets, freezing lakes and creeks, Fenris walked out into the open, taking a deep breath.

How he'd missed this. The lack of most smells, the crisp harshness of his surroundings, the wide open spaces. There was a northern feel to it, even here, where he wasn't truly at home.

Soon, though, soon he'd travel across the sea, further up north, and then…

...

He sighed. The new beginning was near, he could feel it. Yet he had to do one last thing first.

Faelan, his last living son, his youngest child, had asked for a meeting.

Word traveled fast in the wolf community, but even faster in an age of cell phones and computers, and Fenris had answered the message quickly. He'd told his youngest that he'd come.

Faelan had let his father know that he was ready to join the army of wolves that Fenris had already amassed. Help he could truly use, seeing as it had proved harder than anticipated to compel and threaten more vampires into joining him. Falean had said he knew a way, and that he wanted to be a part of it all.

But mostly, he was just a lost child that needed his father.

Fenris had wanted to see the place where Faelan lived with his large pack, where they had stayed for the last few centuries, and he'd suggested they meet there; but his son had made a very good argument about it not being safe.

He'd heard that there were people starting to become suspicious. People were allowed to hunt down and kill wolves again, they were no longer under the protection of the almost extinct species. In fact, the counties were now worrying about their increasing numbers and ferocity. But there was one place that had, ironically, popped into Fenris' head when his son had mentioned something during their first ever phone conversation: "We'd need a safe place. I can't risk you getting caught again, father. There's got to be people looking for _you_ specifically, people like the ones that captured you in the first place. - Where was that again? Grove Hill, you said? That's not even all too far from where I am…"

Fenris had chuckled, but he had known his son was right. He was not safe. He may have been the most dangerous being on the planet, yet he still wasn't safe. Immortal, but not invulnerable. He couldn't risk being captured again.

Then, he'd seen it in front of him once more, like second nature: the place his mind still went to when it was quiet: The vault. Surely, the people that were after him wouldn't even think of trying to put him back in a place that he had already escaped once.

"Meet me at a place called the Armory," he'd therefore suggested. He would sent an army to scour the place, just in case, but he was feeling confident that they'd be left alone there.

And that was where he was headed now…

* * *

…

Damon licked his lips, testing. He felt pretty normal, all things considering.

"I thought this would somehow be a little more… epic," he stated soberly, but Elena only bit her lip nervously.

He flopped down on the couch again and took a good long sip of his wine when he suddenly felt a funny sensation in his body. He grappled with the collar of his shirt, pulling it down, then the bandages across his neck and throat. He looked over to Elena and they both exchanged a glance before they watched mesmerized as his torn skin began to magically mend itself together.

It wasn't like he wasn't used to seeing his wounds close quickly and as if of their own accord, but this… was different. They could see strands of tissue form and lay themselves over his injury, like an intricate weaving pattern. Everything happened like under a microscope. It was terrific - and terrifying both at the same time.

And then, just as suddenly, it was over and Damon shivered as a new feeling enveloped him. He looked around, took another sip of wine, tasting it on his tongue, frowning.

"A bit dull," he muttered, half to himself, then tried it again. Surely enough, the wine had lost some of its nuances. Or bouquet, or whatever you called it. Damon didn't care.

Suddenly, he jumped up, noticing that his body felt more sluggish, though not sick or anything. Just a bit more… human.

He cocked his head, raising his eyebrows. "Well I guess…" he started, looking to an anxious Elena.

"What?" She asked, and he smiled at her. She patted him down, stroked his throat, his chest, and the sensation made him slightly tingly.

"I guess being human doesn't mean that all senses are less sharp after all," he muttered, his mouth now close to hers, and he pressed his body against her so that she could feel…

Her smile widened, as she let her hand travel down further. "How is that?" She inquired, and he just pulled her against him, hard, the taste of wine on his tongue soon mixing with the saltiness of her mouth as he kissed her deeply, starting to undo her clothes as he did…

"Let me try out my newly healed and human body, gorgeous!" He whispered, then bit her lip lightly and pushed her down on the couch as she looked up to him, all anxiousness gone and replaced by something else.

Anticipation. _Want_.

* * *

…

Caroline was carrying a half sleeping Josie back to bed after an episode of sleep walking when she heard a knock at the door. Someone considerate enough not to wake her kids with the bell, she thought, and that already limited the number of possible nightly visitors dramatically.

Maybe it was Bonnie again, or Elena. Both her friends had been so helpful earlier, with Tyler. When Caroline had felt like she couldn't get through to him, like he used each and everyone of her arguments to throw her history with Klaus back at her, she'd been ready to give up.

Matt hadn't been much help. He had taken Tyler's side, yes, and of course that was good; but he hadn't actually _thought_ about it. Sometimes, being a friend meant making tough decisions. Matt, on the other hand, had used the approach of blind support.

"If he doesn't want it, that's his decision," had been his words, and Caroline was still angry at him for being so blind.

"You weren't there," she'd thrown at him, "you didn't see how he suffered."

He'd looked at her sheepishly, then to Tyler, who had pretended he wasn't even really there. Or maybe his mind had really gone somewhere else at that point. She couldn't really blame him, after the ordeal of the full moon night.

"We can't force him, Care. He and Klaus…"

"This is not about Klaus, for gods' sakes!" She'd suddenly yelled. "This is about your best friend. And how the next full moon could kill him, and not mercifully either! With the injury just splitting open like that, who knows whether it'll ever heal?! He can't do that again, Matt," she'd tried to lower her voice, unwilling to throw the harsh truth back at Tyler for the umpteenth time, "I know he won't do it another time, Matt. _No_ _one_ could go into it knowing what it's like…"

He'd frowned at her, angrily, "Are you trying to tell me he'd just opt out of life instead?"

"I'm not trying to tell you anything. I'm telling you that that _is_ what he wants to do, what he _will_ do. He wants to kill himself rather than let Klaus help him." She had sighed, looking tiredly at him. "He is going to do it, Matt. You know how he is. So while it's great you're on his side, this is not what he needs right now."

"And what would that be?" Matt had challenged, and she'd furrowed her brow, thinking of one last way to sway Matt.

"He needs to know that letting Klaus help him is not giving up, it's not weakness. It's not defeat," she gave him a pointed look. "Suicide, however, is."

"Caroline…"

"I can't let him go again, Matt. I thought I could, before… I let him walk out of my life and I thought I was fine, but it's not true. He did not let his pride get in the way when it came to saving my life back then. So why would he allow that to happen now, when his own life is on the line?"

Matt had sighed, not saying anything for the longest time. She'd been ready to start crying at having to deal with two stubborn guys, when he had suddenly very quietly told her, "He's always loved you more than anything, or anyone, Care. Of course he did whatever it took to get Klaus to save you. The same just doesn't hold true for himself. He doesn't just hate Klaus. He hates who - and what - he himself is... I wish I knew how to help him get over that. Trust me, I've tried..."

He had been spared to elaborate when suddenly the door had opened and Bonnie and Elena had shown up together.

...

She didn't know what exactly they had told Tyler, she didn't know whose words had actually gotten through to him, but while she had waited on the couch, with an empty head and full heart, the three of them, Matt, Bonnie, and Elena, had somehow managed to persuade him to let Klaus turn him into a hybrid after all.

Elena had whispered something in his ear at some point, giving him a hug, and the way he'd answered the gesture had told Caroline it was over, and she could breathe easier again, if with a sudden pang of jealousy at the fact that _she_ hadn't been the one he'd finally listened to.

She'd never tell him how close she'd gotten to just knocking him out and going over to Klaus to make him turn Tyler while he was unconscious.

He'd have hated her, afterward, but he would have lived…

Now, they'd maybe get another chance _together_.

...

Caroline huffed at the memory, then gently put her sleeping daughter back to bed and tiptoed out of the room and to the front door.

The one person she hadn't anticipated standing in front of it, was Klaus, and she scowled as their gazes met and he smiled at her.

"Hello, love. I hope I didn't wake the kids?"

She huffed, annoyed at both him and herself, because she still couldn't quite deflect his charm, and she held onto the door as if for support.

"Klaus."

"May I come in?" he asked in a quiet voice but didn't quite wait for her to answer. As he stepped across the threshold, he gave her a light kiss on the cheek, then walked past her to the kitchen, opening a few cabinets, helping himself to two glasses. Only now did Caroline realize he had been holding a bottle of wine this whole time, and she rolled her eyes.

"Do you really think I'll just happily sit down and drink a glass of that," she pointed to the bottle with disdain," with you? After what you did to Tyler?"

"I didn't do anything to him, Caroline…" Klaus gave her a look, half amused, like he was explaining something obvious to a child, "he did it to himself."

She felt her anger rise. "You knew this would happen, though, didn't you? It's why you told me he shouldn't be alone."

"See, love? I even warned you." He handed her the glass he'd just filled up and she reluctantly took it. He raised his own and tried the wine, slowly letting it coat his tongue, then swallowing. "It would have been on you to insist he'd let me turn him right there and then. A pretty woman like you… no man could ever withstand you. He'd have said yes. _I_ 'd have said yes."

Her face contorted with repressed anger. She didn't want him to see her so riled, but it was hard.

"You could have told me," she finally hissed out.

"I didn't know for sure…"

"Since when has that ever held you back? You should have told me and spared him a night of agony. You… owe him that much, after everything-"

" _Owe_ him?" He interrupted her, chuckling, and it was not a friendly sound. "I don't owe him anything other than my promise of death."

She gave him a look, frowning, and he cocked his head. "He didn't tell you about that, did he? How he came to my hometown to threaten me, kill me… And how _I_ spared his life."

She was perplexed for only a minute before she raised an eyebrow, "How kind of you," she mocked, then drank a large sip of the wine as she watched Klaus' wide smile grow even more. He sat down on a chair, placing his glass on the table in front of him.

"It's good to see you, Caroline," he said in a sudden non-sequitur, a raw melancholy discernible in his voice, and for some reason she found herself smiling at him briefly, before her features hardened again.

"I thought we were friends, Klaus. After everything, I don't know…" She waved a hand, "I thought we were friends…"

He squinted, "Someday, I will be more than that," he said, channeling the words he'd once spoken to her, but she shook her head.

"I love him," she admitted, "He'll do it. He'll let you turn him tomorrow, when Faelan is here. But if you so much as look at him funny or make a joke at his expense or… I _swear_ I'll end you myself. I'll make sure you pay for it somehow. I don't care how all powerful you think you are, I'll find a way…."

"You are gorgeous when you're flushed and angry, Caroline."

Her mouth turned into a thin line. "Don't make fun of everything. I know this is not actually you. You have a different side. You showed me that once, why can't you do it again? What are you so afraid of, huh?"

He gave her a look, suddenly oddly defensive as he got up and slowly pushed the chair back under the table, leaving the empty glass in the middle.

He jerked his head dismissively. "I'll see you tomorrow…"

"I've seen you with Enzo. Is he like, your new confidant now, or your pet? Can you only be real with one person at a time? Is that it? Because I'd be careful, Enzo is not like other…"

"Ah Caroline," he interrupted her, grinning and shaking his head, making his way to the door. She followed him, waiting for an answer, but she already knew she wouldn't get one. When he opened the door, he turned toward her one last time, "Your _boyfriend_ is safe from me, Caroline, as long as he stays away from me once this is over. I have no interest in him anymore."

"You break people and discard them like trash, Klaus. One day one of them _will_ get back at you."

A sincere if wistful smile spread on Klaus' face at hearing her words, and he leaned in close, till she could feel his breath in her hair. "Don't worry, love. I'll already take care of that myself…"

And with one last kiss on her forehead he vanished into the darkness that he'd come from.

…

Caroline sighed, closing the door behind him sheepishly. What she hadn't mentioned to Klaus was that Tyler was spending the night at her place. She had taken him home as if it was the most natural thing in the world - and it had felt like it truly was. He was sleeping upstairs in her bed now, his body and mind still exhausted from his ordeal, and as she was listening to the quiet of the house, she was glad he hadn't heard Klaus.

There was just a light whirring noise coming from the fridge, the gentle snores of a child from upstairs... One child.

She was up the stairs in seconds, poking her head into the twins' shared bedroom, where she only saw one of them sleeping: Josie, her little sleep walker.

But where was her sister? She couldn't quite stifle a rising panic. She tried to tell herself that Klaus would never harm her children - she _knew_ he wouldn't, but there were other dark forces awake in the night and who knew, maybe one of them had followed the Original into her home and to her girls.

Panicking, she rushed from room to room, suddenly stopping short as she heard voices coming from the master bedroom. She made her way over there, slowly, and peeked inside, where she saw the most adorable sight she'd seen in a very long time.

Lizzie was sitting cuddled up against a slightly awkward looking Tyler, who had put one arm around her protectively, while she looked up to him earnestly, asking with obvious concern: "But why are you so sure the man is not a monster?"

"Because your mom would never be friends with a monster or let one into your home. Right?" Tyler replied with a "duh" sort of tone, and the little girl nodded at him.

"But I don't like him," she declared and he frowned at her.

"Why?"

"He hurt you," she said and from wher she stood, hiding, Caroline could see Tyler grimace at how perceptive her daughter was. "I can tell," Lizzie continued, "you didn't look very happy when he showed up."

"Nah. I'm… just not as fond of him as your mom is," he told her but she shook her head, making him look at her curiously.

"Is 'fond' like love?"

"Kind of…"

"Mommy doesn't love him. I can tell when mommy loves someone. Like Josie and me…" She thought for a moment, then added, "And you."

She heard Tyler cough and hid further back behind the wall, not wanting them to see her just yet.

Caroline touched her neck absently. When she had taken Tyler home with her earlier, she had insisted he not be alone. She hadn't wanted him to feel alone and like the third wheel in what was now Matt and Penny's home more than his.

She had hugged him for the longest time after Elena and Bonnie had left, telling him over and over again that all would be alright again soon. That she was there for him. Always.

Then she'd simply taken his hand and told him to come with her. And he had. They had had the cheesiest dinner together with her girls, and she had felt a strange sense of completeness that she had been afraid to even mention to him, or her girls, for fear of ruining it. And now this...

"Well, that's good to hear," Tyler was just saying matter-of-factly, jolting her back to the present, "because I'm sure you love her just as much, right?"

"Uh huh."

"So do I... - Now, do you think we can try and put you back to bed?"

"Still too scary…"

"Okay, how about we read this book to the end and afterward I'll make sure there is no monster in the house and you go back to bed before your mommy finds out. Deal?"

The little girl beamed happily. "Deal," she said and Caroline sighed in the doorway, uncrossing her arms as she decided not to barge in after all.

Tomorrow would be coming soon enough.

* * *

…

And it did...

Tomorrow had turned into today. And a small congregation of vampires and wolves had found their way over to Caroline's living room.

The atmosphere was loaded.

Tyler felt himself bristle despite all attempts at telling himself to remain calm.

They had met at Caroline's mostly because it was somewhat of a more neutral place, while still being a bit of a safe haven; unlike his own house, where he didn't feel safe anymore at all, or at home.

He didn't want to do this. He didn't want Klaus freaking Mikaelson anywhere near him, he didn't want to feel his touch on him; especially - and most certainly - he didn't want his fucking teeth in his neck.

But he'd promised Caroline he would allow it. Because he also couldn't do _that_ again: his worst turning experience yet. He'd thought he'd done it all, seen it all. He'd thought he was in some screwed up way if not used to then at least familiar with the pain of becoming a werewolf, but the night of the last full moon had taught him otherwise.

He'd never do that again. So his only options were Klaus, or killing himself, and he knew he couldn't do the latter. Liv didn't die so he could take his own life. He had to repent, atone. For the rest of his life it would be his duty to make her death count, he'd have to be her living reminder, he had to better the world in her name. And taking himself out of the fight would undermine all of that.

He had told Caroline that he'd never wanted any of that. And it was true. But he'd had a choice to end it and out of some strange unknown fear he hadn't gone through with it then. So now he had to live with it.

He looked over to where she was standing, arms crossed in front of her, her little halter top revealing more than was good for him now. He needed to concentrate to not flip out on Klaus, to not jeopardize this.

A hybrid. It would be the end of a lot of his problems, the end of a lot of pain.

But it was also Klaus Mikaelson. Still his nemesis. Still the man that had killed his mom, his pack; the asshole who had fucked his girlfriend. Tyler clenched his teeth and closed his eyes as he saw that very man approach him.

"Ready, teen wolf?" His lip was curled into a smile, his eyes gleaming, and Tyler wished he could just punch that happy triumphant expression out of the other man's face. Instead, he drank the little glass of Elena's blood and glared at the Original with as much contempt as he could muster.

The next thing Tyler knew was that he felt a sharp pain in his neck, then a snap as the world blacked out around him, both familiar and strange faces fading into nothingness in just a split second.

…

Faelan looked from Tyler's crumpled body to Klaus, squinting ever so slightly. A ring of fine wrinkles appeared around his eyes as he did; it was the first time Bonnie noticed that the man was indeed older, older than Klaus, if only in appearance, and she wondered about the strange magic that had made this werewolf stop aging at some point. Was it simply because he was a direct descendant of an almost godlike father?

She exchanged a look with poor Caroline, who stood to the side, looking extremely uncomfortable and worried, then with Enzo, who tightened his grip around her as his gaze locked on hers.

"Once he wakes up he's a hybrid? Immortal like you vampires, yet still with the ability to turn into a wolf," Faelan repeated the words Klaus had said earlier, and the other man nodded somberly.

"How long will it take?" The old wolf asked.

"Not long."

"Let's give him some space," Faelan said, making Caroline look up and at him, surprised and grateful about his show of decency. He made a move of his hand, and the few pack members he'd brought with him retreated.

"Lorenzo, a word?" He said, and Enzo startled at being singled out like that, then nodded and followed him out the door with a quick glance at Bonnie.

She felt cold where he'd left her side, and she quickly wrapped her arms around herself as she walked over to Caroline, who'd kneeled down beside Tyler as soon as the other wolves had exited.

"How are you holding up?" she asked her friend, who nodded wearily just as Elena got there, too, and the friends embraced each other briefly.

"I see Damon is still with us," Bonnie said, grinning, and Elena made a face, then smiled.

"He seems to think he could still die any second, and I told him that's just human life." She turned to Caroline, indicating Tyler on the floor, "Do you think he will be alright?"

Caroline gave her a look, scrunching up her face as she did. "I'm really not sure." She tried to hold back tears as both her friends stooped down to give her sideways hugs, and it was Bonnie who first found some words of comfort.

"Well then, we'll make sure he _will_ be. He got you back, Care. You and him… you've always had a special connection."

"If only Klaus and I had never… I don't think he'll ever forget or get over that. And now he'll have yet another constant reminder-"

Elena held up her hand, "Stop that kind of talking right there, Care. You know what he told me? That he loves you. That you are the reason he came back. You are the reason he's been hanging on all this time. Deep down, he's long forgiven you for whatever you and Klaus had. Look at me and Damon, there's coming back from the craziest things. I mean," she chuckled awkwardly, "do you remember when he snapped Jeremy's neck?"

Caroline nodded, allowing a half smile to cross her features. "At least I didn't personally kill anyone he loved?"

And as she chuckled through some tears, Caroline finally felt Tyler stir…

* * *

…

Enzo swaggered out the door, following the wolf and his entourage, as Klaus was leaning in beside him to whisper in his ear.

"What do you think he wants now?"

"A nice little chat?" Enzo suggested, playing along and pretending to try and be inconspicuous.

"Funny, Enzo." Klaus gave him a look, then put his hands behind his back as they kept walking, "I'm serious. He will have his proof in a short little while. Then he'll get his very own hybrid - additional hybrid I should say, seeing as he has you-"

"'I'm not his," Enzo growled in annoyance, but Klaus merely grinned at him.

"Family, my friend. You can't choose them, you just have to live with them somehow. You didn't know what you had when you thought you were all alone. Family makes everything more complicated. It's a good thing to keep some friends around," he winked at Enzo and earned himself a shuttered glare.

It wasn't easy to see through Lorenzo St. John. But Klaus saw a lot of himself in the man, and he felt sympathetic. "Anyway," he continued, "I wonder how it will go from there. He promised he'd lure his dear father back to your family's humble abode-"

"I'd rather you didn't refer to them as my family…" Enzo muttered, his face showing the smallest reaction now, but Klaus' smile only widened.

He was just about to say something, when Faelan suddenly turned around facing them. His face darkened a little when he noticed that Klaus had come along, but he didn't say anything about that.

Enzo subconsciously straightened his shoulders as the man scrutinized him once again, and he cocked his head as a nonverbal question.

"You know this may very well be the last time we see each other?"

Enzo raised his chin, then nodded. Of course he knew. Whatever Faelan's exact plan was, he knew it contained one quite selfless act in that it basically involved him getting locked away _with_ Fenris. Unless they could come up with a way to get Faelan out first. A highly unlikely scenario…

"I'd like to make something clear first. You are one of us now, you've always been - even though we or you didn't know that until very recently - and you always will be. The reason I asked Klaus to turn one of my wolves into a hybrid is not because I don't trust you or don't see you as one of us, it's for the sake of the pack. Someone that's been with us all this time, someone that has grown up among our midst will have their respect right away, and it leaves you to come and go as you please, while the new leader will have to remain with the pack always."

The wolf made a serious face at Enzo and he felt his skin prickle. He almost felt like laughing. Was Faelan trying to apologize to him for not having chosen him as his successor? Enzo hadn't even entertained the idea in his wildest dreams.

"You don't need to explain anything to me," he therefore said, forcing his amusement to stay out of his voice as best as he could, but he could tell that Klaus beside him had caught on to it regardless when the Original smirked at him.

"Well. I wanted to anyways. Know that we hold no grudge for what happened with the locket. Everyone knows you are to be treated as one of us, and you can always come to us if you need to. We are your family, for better or for worse, and while as a vampire you know mostly solitude, you are also a wolf and have a pack behind you now. Don't forget that."

Enzo nodded his thanks, feeling strangely agitated by the man's words. He didn't know how to feel. Faelan was making an effort to make him feel included, and he didn't know what to offer in return.

Suddenly, Faelan directed his attention to Klaus, who had quietly listened. "I believe I can trust you to have an eye on Lorenzo as well? Seeing as no one here better understands what it means to be a hybrid that is first and foremost a vampire?"

"You can. Just like I'll have an eye on whoever you choose to become your new pack leader. As was our deal."

The two men nodded at each other, just as Bonnie appeared in the doorway and Enzo caught her gaze as she jerked her head toward the house.

"We should go back inside," he said, and their little group slowly made their way back to see how Tyler was faring, and to finish their side of the deal.

…

Klaus gave Caroline a nod and a smile when he saw her catch his eye over Tyler's back upon his return. The kid was lucky. That beautiful girl held him as tight as she could, and in that moment, Klaus did know that she meant it. He didn't necessarily understand it - or her - but he understood something about love. And he could tell when he saw it displayed. His smile turned wistful once again as he forced himself to look away and over to Faelan.

"So… who is the lucky wolf that gets my treatment next?" he asked, and Faelan had a young man step forward that Klaus had seen before. It was the same kid he'd seen back at the Armory, with the witch. He squinted at the guy, who slightly bristled in turn.

"My son," Maeve suddenly said from behind him, next to Faelan, and as Klaus caught the way she possessively put a hand on the old wolf's arm, another piece of the puzzle fell in place, and he nudged Enzo beside him lightly to clue him in on his little discovery.

It might have meant nothing. It might have been of no consequence, but it was always good to stay on top of your knowledge…

Enzo's face remained closed off, but Klaus knew he'd made the connection as well.

"Ready when you are," he chirped and gave the poor kid a cheerful pat on the shoulder before he went over to get another sample of Elena Gilbert's blood...

* * *

…

It was dark outside. It was dark a lot lately, Bonnie thought, as if the days were preparing to come to an end and make room for an all encompassing night. She shivered at the thought. She had been practicing spells with Maeve for almost a month now, and she still didn't feel confident it would work in the end.

They had found ways to generate more magic. They had even persuaded a very reluctant Alaric and Caroline to let their twins help siphon even more magic and thus help Bonnie when the day would come. But she just didn't feel as confident as she'd wished.

She cursed her new nature yet again. She didn't hate being a vampire as much as she'd thought. In fact, with every new day she was slowly starting to cherish her sharpened senses more, and the fact that she wasn't so vulnerable anymore. But she'd lost a big part of herself when she'd lost her magic, and it pained her to be reminded of that so constantly while they were preparing for their big task.

Maybe it would get easier once Fenris was gone and she could stay away from magic some more.

If they'd succeed…

"Come to bed, love."

Enzo stood leaning against the wall next to the staircase, taking her in as she was going over their plan and the needed spell for what was easily the hundredth time today.

"I can't. I'm … Maeve said in two days it will definitely be _the_ day and I'm just not sure we can do it."

He smiled a small smile at her, then slowly approached her from behind, finally putting his arms around her as she was till pouring over the book in front of her. She closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. It felt so good to have him close.

"Come to bed…"

She bit her lip. She knew he had been busy, too, those last couple of weeks. It had been his job to go out and recruit as many vampires as possible to aide their cause. With Klaus in tow, and Faelan's new hybrid leader, they'd roamed the whole country in search of more allies.

She remembered how Damon had showed up at her door one day, upset and cranky like a toddler that he hadn't been invited to come with them, and she'd had to remind him of the fact that he was now human - _and_ had the cure in him - and that he should try to stay away from vampires.

He'd raised his eyebrows, "You mean like you?"

She'd rolled her eyes, but smiled. "From the ones that are not your friends."

"I'm not sure," he'd mused, "Does that include or exclude Enzo? Because last thing I thought, we were friends and then he takes off with that darn Original douchebag without even telling me. Even freaking Tyler Lockwood gets to be part of their recruiting mission, but I-"

"Tyler is a hybrid now, Damon. Of course he's a part of this. We need all the vampires and wolves we can to fight off Fenris' army. Just locking him up might save the world, but it won't stop the fights. There is a war about to break out, Damon. You know we can't risk you getting killed. You and Elena, you need to stay out of this, it's not your fight anymore. And I need to know you guys are safe."

He'd sulked as she'd passionately made her point, but then he'd nodded. And given her a light kiss on the head. "Can't argue with the latter half of your statement. Though you should know: a fight my friends engage in will always be my fight too," he'd given her one last look then had walked out the door with a tip of his invisible hat, "Excuse me while I now go over to my new pal Matt, who I'm sure has some helpful tips on how to survive feeling so horribly helpless as a human among vampire friends." He'd smirked at her and she had smirked right back.

…

She sighed at the memory. He was right of course. Besides, there were a lot of lives on the line, humans first and foremost among them. They were the most vulnerable in the equation.

"Bonnie."

Enzo jolted her out of her musings once again. His breath against her neck a welcoming warmth that made her shiver. Slowly, she turned around.

"I'm scared," she simply said before hugging him fiercely, glad she felt his strong hand against her spine.

"I know. Me too."

She pulled away a little, raising an eyebrow in doubt. She almost laughed. "You?"

He frowned before a smile curled his lips upward ever so slightly. "Of course. What did you think? The world is about to end and it's on us to save it. My fiancée is putting her life on the line to cage the most dangerous thing we've ever encountered. And for the first time in all my life I actually got something to lose. Everything. And I'm terrified."

He looked so earnest and sincere that she just had to hug him as tight as possible. There was this beautiful strong and handsome man, and _she_ was the reason why he was afraid.

Their lives hadn't been easy. They'd both suffered pain beyond anything anyone should ever experience. They'd suffered loss. Bonnie didn't know how she'd survived until now. How she'd survived the deaths of loved ones, how she had survived feeling like there would never be anyone to give her heart to again, because her heart had died along with the people she had lost.

And then she _had_ found love again. She hadn't wanted it, she hadn't looked for it. She had been so annoyed when it had first crept into her life, when obnoxious cocky, always annoyingly flirty "knock-off Damon" had suddenly taken on traits of his own in her mind. When she had found herself thinking about him, worrying about him: Lorenzo St. John…

He had healed her heart piece by piece, slowly, but gradually, and now here they were.

"You're never gonna lose me, Enzo St. John," she whispered. "Even if..."

"Sh…," he made, trying to keep her from continuing, and she could finally see just how vulnerable she had made him by coming into his life. She smiled at him, melancholically.

"It's alright, love," he muttered, still holding her tight, sweeping a hand over her cheek in a loving tender gesture, "I just want you to know that I love you. I love you, Bonnie Bennett, and you made everything worth it. I'd fight for that - for you - always. But I'd rather just _live_ with you."

He kissed her, passionately, and she let herself wallow in his touch, closing her eyes and letting go, before they eventually broke apart and stared at each other.

"Just two more days," she said, "Three tops. And then it's over. Right?" She knew it was wishful thinking at this point. She tried not to think about the fact that her and Maeve's spell was still not quite working, or that Enzo would leave tomorrow to finally begin executing the last phase of their great battle plans. But maybe saying those words to him, believing them, would give her the strength and determination to see it all through.

He nodded, not looking at her anymore, his head to the side so she could see his jaw muscles work like they always did when he was trying to suppress something. He didn't say a word.

Gently, she cupped his cheek, pulling his face toward her, and she gave him an intent look. "I love you, Enzo," she whispered, her body pressed against his, and finally, she was the one to gently steer him in the direction of their bedroom.


	22. If this is the end of the world

_Thank you all for reading, if you've made it this far, you deserve a special thanks! Jade, you've been here from the start and are still reviewing: thank you!_

 _Thanks Derek, for your feedback._

 _And Lupin: loved your review for chapter 20 a lot!_

 _Almost there..._

* * *

...

"Help me out here," Damon dangled his legs from the kitchen island at Alaric's place, playfully sifting through a bunch of papers that still lay strewn across it. Ric made a face and took some of them away from his friend with a huff. But Damon merely looked at him innocently and continued, "I mean, how do you do this? Just research and stay on the sidelines while the fun part is happening out there?" He gestured out the window, staring into the gloomy gray day.

"It's just how it is, Damon. You are human again. You wanted that, remember?"

Damon pouted, "I'm not saying I don't want it, I'm just-"

"You just can't leave well enough alone. You still want to be in the thick of it, don't you? You _hate_ to see Stefan and Bonnie and Enzo and… heck, even Klaus go out there and fight while you have to stay behind."

Damon scowled. He hopped off the island and swaggered through the kitchen, opening cabinets here and there, generally just annoying Alaric. But Ric knew that his friend was simply a bit lost. He wasn't used to the changes yet, to his human nature, his newly gained vulnerability.

"I get it," he mildly said, "it's like coming down off of a crazy high and all of a sudden, life just kinda seems to happen without you."

Damon glanced over at him, unusually quiet.

"It'll get better. I promise. I don't know how quickly that'll happen for you since you were a vampire for so long, but it _will_ get easier. And you have Elena to help you with it."

"I can't tell her that human life doesn't seem to be as desirable as I thought anymore." Damon's voice was quiet when he admitted it, and he didn't look Ric in the eyes. But Ric understood. With a pat of Damon's shoulder, he began smiling.

"Yes you can, Damon. Knowing her, she'll already have noticed how you feel anyways. She won't blame you." He gave Damon's shoulder another squeeze, then, in a more rustic tone, he continued, "Now excuse me, I'll have to get the girls from Caroline's…"

Damon perked up at the words, "How are things between you and Stefan's ex anyways? Kind of an awkward love… _rectangle_ you guys have going there."

Alaric rolled his eyes. "Go!" He commanded, "Sort out your own problems first. And tell Elena I said hi…"

With a grin and a wave Damon walked out the door, leaving Ric to ponder whether his friend would be alright. They'd have to get some drinks together once this all was over. But for now he was simply too busy trying to make sure the world would not end, and that his girls would have to play a pivotal role in channeling enough magic for Bonnie to be able to complete the spell only exacerbated his level of stress to new levels.

He couldn't wait to get ridiculously drunk with a human Damon.

* * *

…

"Father." Faelan looked at the old wolf with a sudden feeling of deep affection. And how was that even possible? He had mostly just given his seed and had abandoned Faelan's mother pretty much right away. Yet here he was. As if he suddenly cared.

Fenris had taken on human form. He hadn't done so in a very long time. He felt strangely constrained and out of sorts, but his general had told him it would be safer and less conspicuous if he traveled in disguise, and so he had done it.

He hadn't had the physical strength for that transformation for centuries. But with the help of those two poor vampires he'd ensnared after his liberation, he'd gotten back to strength. Once he'd left them behind, once he'd been strong enough to do his own hunting again, he'd finally returned to old formidability. And it felt fantastic.

Now here he was, back at the Armory, and it looked like nothing had changed there. Still, the hair on the back of his neck stood upright, a sense of foreboding making him feel slightly uneasy after all.

The troop he'd brought had scoured the site thoroughly, making sure no one would surprise them and close in on him while he was there. They'd killed a couple of stragglers, mostly humans, and now stood guard in a wide perimeter around the old building. He knew he was as safe here as he could be.

And still…

As he gave his youngest a heartfelt embrace, he closed his eyes briefly.

"It is very good to see you, son," he grumbled with a low voice that reverberated through the large foyer.

"Indeed it is," Faelan nodded. Fenris took him in. A grown man, middle-aged, yet with the spring of youth in his gait as he now motioned for his father to follow him deeper into the building.

"I'm not sure how comfortable you are with showing me where they kept you. But I'd be interested to see where you've spent the last 200 and more years…"

"You haven't gone down there yet? Fenris looked at him curiously, as Faelan shook his head.

"I didn't feel it was my place…"

Fenris smiled. He liked this one. He always had. If only he could have stuck around for him…

"Well then," he announced, "let me show you around."

As he led the way, both wolves the only ones in the building now, both their entourages waiting outside - one small, one immensely large, Fenris did not notice the rising tension in the younger one's body, or the way he furtively looked behind himself.

* * *

…

As always, morning eventually came, and as always, the time for goodbye came quicker than Bonnie had hoped for. She sighed as she put on a tight fitting undershirt, then pulled a thick sweater over her head. When she emerged, Enzo placed a gentle kiss on her hair, and she smiled briefly.

He was already dressed completely, even shoes and his too light jacket on, and she frowned as she turned around and grabbed him by the lapels, "Couldn't you at least have chosen a coat or something?"

He smirked at her. Twirling a curl out of her face, he bent forward then kissed her again. She rolled her eyes at him, but smiled, before swatting him off as he tried to rope her in for one last quickie.

"Enzo," she chided playfully, "there's no time. Maeve and Valerie will be here any second…"

She felt herself blush as his hand wandered down her pants and over her naked skin, and she shoved his hand away once more. He smiled at her suggestively, but had gotten the message. Arms to the side as if in surrender he backed away and she was both relieved and already ached for his touch again.

She simply couldn't concentrate on anything at the moment. She was too anxious for this. For sex.

For anything.

Enzo leaned against her dresser, watching her as she finished putting on her makeup, laughing when her mouth made an o-shape as she put on her mascara. He always found that part so funny, and she always wanted to roll her eyes at him, but of course she couldn't.

"Don't laugh," she ordered, but he was already chuckling. "Enzo…"

"I'm sorry, love. You're just too bloody adorable when you dab on your makeup with so much professional concentration, making those cute faces as you go…"

"I told you otherwise I can't get it done without smudging everything. Now… please look elsewhere or stop laughing. Give a girl some privacy."

She could tell he was working hard on stifling his amusement, and she saw his reflection in the mirror drop his head, and rub his neck absently as a sudden seriousness played across his features.

Bonnie sighed quietly, then finished her task and walked over to him, tapping his chin.

"It's time…"

"I know, love." He looked up, an aching sadness in his eyes that made her tear up. What if this was the last moment they'd ever have together? What if she'd never see him again?

What if she was not going to come back from this? She remembered Caroline's words to her, back when she'd had to make her decision, die or turn into a vampire. And she knew that everything Caroline had said back then was true.

She closed her eyes, quietly muttering, "I guess we will just both have to make it…"

Enzo cocked his head, pulling her against him. Her words had not been meant for him to hear, but of course he had.

"We will," he breathed reassuringly, wiping her tears away as they were falling, and she mumbled out an upset, "And I just finished my makeup…"

"You are gorgeous, love, makeup or smudges, or not," Enzo muttered, staring into her beautiful green eyes wistfully. "It will be okay…"

She suddenly started sobbing for real and Enzo pulled her against him as tight as he could, holding her till she calmed down again.

They clung to each other for a long time, Enzo's arms around Bonnie, her arms around him. She wasn't ready at all to let him go and she knew he wasn't, either.

"Please be careful," she told him as they eventually slowly extricated themselves from each other, anyways, and she gently laid a hand on his chest. "I'm not sure I can handle you getting hurt yet again."

"I'm not sure I can, either," he said, chuckling, but Bonnie didn't think it was all that funny.

"I love you, Lorenzo St. John."

"And I love you, Bonnie Bennett."

She smiled up at him, kissing him, "I swear, if we don't run away to Paris as soon as this is over-"

"Oh, we will, love. We will…"

With another kiss for good measure, Enzo whirled around her, speeding out the door before it would get too hard to do so, and Bonnie was left feeling strangely exhilarated and empty at the same time.

* * *

...

Bonnie didn't have much time to wallow in her feelings, however, when suddenly the doorbell rang.

She rolled her eyes, steeling herself. Surely it was Maeve or Valerie coming over to pick her up and get closer to the Armory.

They'd have to wait there till Enzo and the others gave them the okay to approach.

They knew that Fenris was meeting Faelan at that very moment, and they knew their time window was small. Fenris traveled with a huge group of men, and they needed all the people they'd been able to recruit to join their fight to beat them and get Bonnie and the others as close to the Armory as possible so they they could seal the old wolf in. Bonnie bit her lip thinking about meeting Maeve now.

There was something going on between her and Faelan. Everyone knew how unlikely it was that he would get out of the vault before it would be closed forever, and Bonnie didn't know what she could do or say to the other woman to make that any better.

If it had been her…

She couldn't allow that thought.

Determinedly, she opened the door in a quick move and was surprised when she suddenly felt Caroline's arms around her before she had even gotten a greeting out.

Her friend had rushed in to hug her, tears welling in her eyes as she did, and Bonnie felt instantly alarmed.

She was still a little weepy herself, so seeing Caroline so emotional made her eyes well up yet again.

"What is it, Care?" she asked gently, trying to look her friend in the eyes, but Caroline rubbed them absently, then flopped down on the couch defeated.

"I'm… am I doing the right thing, Bonnie?"

Bonnie frowned at her, then sat down beside her. "What do you mean, Care?"

"All of this. Letting my girls come so close to all this danger-"

"They'll only be going if it's really safe," Bonnie reminded her, "Remember what we said? Only once they are sure that Fenris' guys are no danger anymore will they tell us to come out there."

"Still… I know we need them. I know we do... But they're just two small kids. They're my daughters."

Bonnie's heart ached for her. She wished that she could tell her friend she wouldn't need the twins' help, but she simply didn't know that. And they couldn't risk the spell not working. They couldn't. The whole world was at risk.

"I'll protect them with my own life. We all will."

Caroline merely sobbed in answer, and Bonnie couldn't blame her. All she could do was hug her friend again, not letting go even when the door opened and Valerie and Maeve poked their heads in.

She exchanged a look with the two women, and Valerie silently mouthed a "we need to go" at her, to which Bonnie nodded. Gently, she tugged at Caroline, whispering in her ear, "We got company. Valerie and Maeve are here…"

Quickly, her best friend pulled herself together, and, wiping her face quickly, she got to her feet, waving over to the two women. "Hiiii," she said awkwardly, pretending everything was perfectly fine, and she glanced over to Bonnie quickly, "I guess you guys gotta get going. I'll… I'll be waiting over at Alaric's till you call. She gave Bonnie another rushed hug, "I'll see you later. Please be careful," she whispered, then straightened her clothes and walked past the other two out the door, leaving Bonnie staring after her for another moment.

* * *

…

The place looked traitorously deserted when Klaus' car slowly got closer to the Armory. It was eerily quiet. Not a bird in the sky, even though the frost had let up a tiny bit and it was almost a bit warm outside. Like a last hurrah of nature before the long winter would truly grip the world and pull it down with it under ice and snow.

Klaus grimaced as he stopped and shut the engine down. With a sideways glance at Enzo he pointed out the door at another car. Stefan Salvatore had already arrived.

"Hello Stefan…" Klaus shut his car door with a loud clang and took a few steps toward his oldtime friend, while Enzo waited leaning against his side of the car, crossing his arms, slightly amused. He knew Klaus had a soft spot for Stefan, and it was kind of funny to watch the two of them together. When Stefan wasn't in ripper mode, he was just so stuck up sometimes, and Enzo had never fully begun to like him. Yet he also couldn't blame him. Being Damon's brother surely had been a big influence. Enzo knew all too well how the older brother could get under your kin.

"Klaus," Stefan was saying, and the two men exchanged a brief smile before the Original said, "I take it you already checked if we have company…"

Stefan gave a brief nod, "I got our people in position, since you guys are late," he pointedly looked from Klaus to Enzo, and the latter took it as his invitation to join the conversation. He walked over carefully, smirking at the Salvatore.

"So kind of him, isn't it, Nik?" he said, exchanging a glance with Klaus that Stefan noted with a huff.

"Indeed it is, Enzo."

"Shall we, then?" Stefan asked as he pulled out his phone to check for any more messages. He looked directly at Enzo when he quipped, "You don't mind that I already gave them a call - I mean, since you were late, do you?"

Enzo's eyes were shuttered, but he felt Stefan's words as a stab and it was hard not to show a reaction to that. "Not at all, Stefan," he said, jerking his chin upward as he stepped in front of Stefan, entering his personal space.

Even now they couldn't stop playing games, and Klaus suddenly appeared from the side and calmly shoved an arm between them, "Easy now, boys. Aren't we all friends here? Fighting on the same side?"

Enzo rolled his eyes, just like Stefan, and in that moment they almost understood each other.

"Since when are you the one to be so level headed?" Stefan mocked, but Klaus merely grinned.

"Maybe because I'm the only one who truly knows what is at stake here…," he breathed, then gave the other two a pat on the shoulder each and stepped away from them, out into the road that would lead them up the rest of the way to the Armory. "I'm guessing the old wolf didn't come without an army?"

"You're guessing right. Not as bad as we thought, but it's good we brought as much backup as we did." He jerked his head in the direction of the road, "They're already over there. We had to dispose of some… bodies," Stefan's eyes flickered briefly before he continued, "And like i said, I called Valerie and Bonnie. They're on their way now. We still gotta be careful. I don't trust the quiet… We can't risk anything happening to Bonnie and the others today," he gave Enzo a knowing nod, and the other man reciprocated the gesture. They were on the same page after all…

"Alright. Let's make sure they stay safe then," Klaus chirped a little too happily, and strutted along, looking back when he noticed that the other two weren't following just yet. He gave a sigh. "Is there anything else, Stefan?"

"Just the fact that we still haven't determined who is going to actually lock the vault," the Salvatore said, giving him a meaningful stare, and Klaus grinned.

"You're clever, Ripper, have always been… Of course someone will have to make sure the door is physically locked before dear Bonnie," he smirked at Enzo knowingly, "can seal it shut with her little magic helpers."

We can't be sure Faelan was able to do it. Might have been too conspicuous…"

"Right," Klaus allowed and was just about to say something when Enzo began walking, dismissively throwing an "I'll do it" at them before beginning to lead the way. "Let's get going and make sure the way is still clear…"

Klaus tipped his head before he followed his fellow hybrid, who he patted on the back once he'd caught up with him.

"I should probably offer to do it in your stead, seeing as it was me who did it last time," he said, grinning. "It would almost be like old times: Abner and I shoved the old wolf down there, you know. He was but a shadow of his former self, of course, so it wasn't as difficult as it would have been today - if dear Faelan hadn't offered his help…" He gave Enzo, then Stefan a look, clearly enjoying his little story telling session. "So we managed. Dear Beatrice was waiting outside of course. It was all a rather private affair. No armies, no frills, our alliance consisted of a handful of people at most. Someone still had to be the one to lock the door. There was a small chance Fenris would try and attack. And he did…" Klaus smirked at Enzo's shuttered glare, "Relax, my friend, as you know, I got out safe. And you will have Faelan's help… unless the darn wolf decides to play us after all…" He chuckled to himself.

"You seem to think this is all rather entertaining," Enzo muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Is it not?"

It was Stefan who suddenly laid a hand on Enzo's arm, shaking his head. "I can go instead," he offered, and the other man frowned at him, then smirked.

"Stefan Salvatore is coming through for me as my knight in shining armor?" He raised his eyebrows, amused, as Stefan shrugged.

"Consider it a one time offer. And I'm doing it for Bonnie, not for you." They exchanged a glare, and Enzo questioned Damon's brother's motives for a moment.

"You know that Damon would be devastated if you were to die down there?" Enzo asked, and Stefan looked away in answer before he said, "He has a soft spot for you, too. Not that I ever understood that," he stated, "If you were to die, I have a feeling Bonnie and Damon might do something stupid."

"Damon will always do something stupid."

Both men suddenly grinned at each other, when Klaus theatrically rolled his eyes at them and came to walk between them, laying an arm over each of their shoulders. "You two are sickeningly sweet when you are bonding over Damon of all people. But alright alright. I'll do it. We both know I'm much stronger than each of you combined, and I have experience. Now _please_ let's end this."

"You have a family now, Klaus," Stefan reminded him, and Enzo added, "A daughter."

"So?"

"You have the most to lose of all three of us."

"Always have to play the hero, don't you, Stefan? - Fine, we can all go together." He half pouted, and didn't see the look and the nod the other two exchanged when he sped past them.

* * *

…

The day was appropriately gloomy and foggy and the Armory half hidden from view when Bonnie and her company got to it just a little later. They'd done as Stefan had told them and left their car by the side of the main road so as not to tip off any of Fenris' stray followers, and had walked the last bit to the old building. It was strange how different it suddenly looked to her, more ominous, almost evil, and a sense of foreboding made Bonnie shiver involuntarily.

"Are you okay?" Valerie asked, but Bonnie merely nodded as she pulled her long coat together in front of her. "Good," the heretic looked down on her phone, then up again, "they went inside already."

Bonnie's heart skipped a beat. She'd irrationally hoped she'd see Enzo out here before she'd have to perform the spell, she'd clung to that hope desperately, and now it wasn't happening. Since the twins were already on their way, they couldn't risk going any nearer, and they couldn't wait for the others to come back out before they started chanting. They'd have to do it as soon as Stefan gave them the okay.

Bonnie closed her eyes briefly, then shook her head to clear it. It all seemed so strangely remote. The danger, that big dark evil, was looming so close, yet they couldn't see or feel anything. The fate of the world literally relied on them having a good cell phone signal. How much more bizarre could a fight of good versus evil be?

It was nothing like the Other Side crashing down around her, or Kai fighting her, stabbing her, or even freaking Klaus coming after Elena. It seemed so mundane she almost couldn't believe it.

She had never even seen that stupid wolf.

So why was she so nervous?

They all heard Valerie's phone beep once, and they all exchanged a look, when she gave the nod they had waited for. "Vault door is closed," Valerie nodded, and for a split second, Bonnie thought Maeve was going to bail on them as the werewolf witch suddenly swayed and closed her eyes, swallowing hard.

"Maeve…"

The woman pulled herself together, letting out one heartbreaking wail that made Bonnie beside her tear up and catch Valerie's glance, but then she felt how her hand was grabbed hard, and she saw Maeve looking at her, face all scrunched up, but determined, and when she nodded once more, Bonnie started saying the words, her voice mixing with that of the other two until it was a chorus, crescendoing with every new repetition of the spell.

Something was tugging at her, but she barely noticed the wind picking up around them till it blew her hair around her face, obscuring her view as they all made their way closer and closer toward the Armory.

She hadn't noticed Caroline and the twins arriving, but suddenly they were there, their small hands touching the Armory to suck all remaining magic out of it, out of all the artifacts inside, and she did feel it when their fingers intertwined with hers and she felt a tremendous power surging through her.

She thought of Enzo for a moment, wondering whether he'd be able to get out alright, whether she'd see him again… But she had to force herself to concentrate back on her task or she would have given up.

And she couldn't.

* * *

…

Faelan had followed Fenris down into the dark and musty vault that was hidden underneath the old building and in a corner of his mind he had marveled at the fact that, apparently, members of his family had built it, had been part of his father's first imprisonment down there.

His mouth turned into a thin line at the smell down there. For the first time the reality of it all began to catch up with him, and he wondered what Fenris would do to him once he found out.

"This," the old wolf stretched his arms wide, indicating the whole big cavelike structure, "was my home of sorts for the last couple centuries. I almost grew fond of this place. Almost." He chuckled, then motioned for Faelan to stop. "You have thought this through?" he asked, "You and your wolves want to be a part of the big change?"

"We do. It is time," Faelan replied, feeling more and more uneasy now that the inevitable was so close.

He had said his goodbyes earlier, entrusting his son with leading their pack into the future. Jack had been passionate about his new role, but he was also a hothead. And so very young. Faelan hoped he hadn't made a mistake in letting him take on the burden of immortality to ensure their pack would continue to follow in their own ways. Maeve wasn't all that long for this world, and he couldn't know what Jack would do without her guidance.

Maeve… He felt sorry for her, for what he had done to her. For centuries he hadn't cared about any other woman than his Orlaith. If he was being honest, that had never changed. She was still the only one. But after so many years, he had been surprised to suddenly feel something stir in him, and he had followed his body's long restrained demands and had lain with her.

He'd felt guilty, as if he had betrayed both Orlaith and her. But he hadn't been able to let it go…probably because she was almost the spitting image of her ancestor, his love.

She had deserved better of course. He'd even told her that, and the whole truth, in an attempt to make her resent him, because he knew they'd never see each other again. But all he'd seen in her face had been love mixed in with despair.

Now here he was, and he regretted not feeling more about the fact that he'd seen her for the last time. His heart was just too tired. He'd stupidly clung to Orlaith for an eternity, unable to ever move on from her, and now he felt more relieved than anything at the prospect of Fenris ending him once and for all.

"You aren't telling me the whole truth, though, are you?" Fenris was squinting at him, suddenly wary. His eyes darted from his son over to the hallway carved into the stone that was leading up to the door, when they both heard a whoosh and a muffled bang. "What is this?!" The old one demanded, rushing past Faelan to the door, startling when he realized it was locked.

"What is this?!" he roared, as Faelan casually approached him, knowing that it would be best if he could get Fenris to focus his anger on something other than the door until the spell had been completed.

"I'm sorry, father."

"Sorry."

They exchanged a look, then Fenris' hands wrapped themselves around Faelan's neck. "You betrayed me. You?! My last living child? My only direct descendant..." He was incredulous at the audacity, anger mixing into his disappointment quickly.

"I can't let you destroy the world. My pack…"

He didn't let Faelan finish. "Really? That is your motivation?" He sighed theatrically, "Do you even know how strong I am?" He blurted, hackles raised, " _Who_ I am?!" He let go of his son, rushing back to the door. There wasn't much time. If they had managed to find a witch strong enough to cast the spell, it would be too late, soon. "I'll bring the end of this world. But first, I'll end you," the wolf hissed as he threw himself against the door, again and again and again. Faelan flinched with every new bang, then stared transfixed as his father slowly transformed himself into who he really was: a beast. Formidable, larger than any wolf he'd ever seen, his body lithe and all muscle. He almost laughed.

"Do you know what it takes to truly keep me caged? An innocent willing to sacrifice their life, a witch so strong she can bind me, an impenetrable prison, and an army so large it can keep mine at bay."

Faelan chuckled, pointing out that he was the "innocent" of sorts, he'd sacrificed himself by getting locked in alongside his father, they had a Bennett witch to perform the spell, "and haven't you looked around, father? What prison better to hold you than the one you've already spent two centuries in?"

But then the old wolf's last words finally hit him. An army… They had known Fenris had amassed quite the amount of people to stand behind him, but they had never found out how many. He knew they had defeated the entourage the old wolf had brought with him, and even a few outposts in the surrounding woods. They hadn't seen much more movement in the vicinity. He knew they were wary and careful and most likely prepared.

But how many people was Fenris talking about? Could his own people keep them at bay long enough to finish the spell? Would they be able to continue fighting even afterward, or persuade them that fighting was no longer necessary?

This couldn't all be for naught. It wouldn't be…

Suddenly, he lunged at the other wolf, forcing his own body to change its form as he did, and he dug his teeth into Fenris' flank, hard, before he felt himself get thrown across the room.

"It's not time yet," he growled, shaking his head. "It can't end today…"

* * *

…

As the two wolves fought against each other, Enzo, Klaus, and Stefan eventually made their way out of the Armory, rushing up slippery steps until they saw the light outside again. Enzo caught a brief glimpse of Bonnie as she was chanting a string of foreign sounding words, eyes wide open but unseeing, and he wanted to stay and stare at her, marvel at her fierce beauty, but Klaus grabbed him hard, pulling him along with him, out of the building, vigorously pointing at something behind Bonnie and the other witches, and finally Enzo saw what he meant, shadows moving way too fast, encroaching in their space, ready to obliterate everything: this, then, was Fenris army.

Suddenly, everything felt dark and hopeless. Even if the spell would work, even if Fenris was locked up safely and for good, there'd be a wall of wolves to fight, so large that even with their combined vampire and werewolf forces the fight would be so uneven Enzo doubted they'd last very long.

Yet they had to try...

…

"Bonnie!" he yelled, pushing past Klaus, back to her, and he barely heard the string of curse words coming from the Original as he went.

Klaus sighed. Of course he knew they couldn't just flee. They had a task to fulfill. They had a fight to fight.

He looked around, trying to estimate the number of oncoming werewolves and was glad it wasn't quite the full moon yet when he realized just how many there were. Suddenly he noticed Caroline beside the witch and he caught her panicked stare as she tried to scoop up her daughters, yelling something at the other women as she did. He grimaced, already knowing he couldn't just run away. He'd help as best as he could.

As he saw Enzo dart over to his girl, exchanging a few words with her, he noticed how his new friend gave them a sign. It wasn't quite done yet.

"We need more time!" Enzo was yelling over, just as Stefan sped past them all and attacked the first wolf that had made it to them.

…

Bonnie tried hard to not pay any attention to what was going on around her. She tried not to think about the danger, about Enzo, about the fighting happening right behind her, then next to her, then…

She sang her spell, clutching Maeve's and Valerie's hands so hard that it must have hurt, but she didn't feel any pain in her own hands, so maybe it wasn't too bad after all. Together they kept chanting and chanting, a power flowing through her, and at the same time straining her so badly that she started feeling weak-kneed. Her nose had begun to bleed, and not just a little bit either, and she could taste the coppery saltiness on her tongue as she continued speaking the words.

She was going to pass out. Stars appeared in front of her eyes, her head pounded. She barely noticed Maeve and Valerie falling to their knees but fighting to stay upright, to keep chanting.

Maeve suddenly fell over with a scream, but Bonnie couldn't stop to look. She was vaguely aware of someone checking on the other woman, but that was it.

She had to seal the vault.

She had to…

Valerie was next. Stefan rushed over to feel her pulse, to hoist her up and over his shoulders.

"Bonnie!" he yelled, but she couldn't stop yet, she couldn't stop.

"Bonnie." It was Grams voice that made her slowly turn her head to the side, and she could see an almost transparent version of her grams appear beside her, taking her hand in a strong yet gentle grasp. Then more forms appeared, faces…

Bonnie felt goosebumps ripple over her body as she noticed who they were: her ancestors. So many of them. So strong. So beautiful.

They had come to her aid. They had really come. She wasn't alone. She was not…

With a sudden last surge the last of the magic rushed out of her and the whole Armory started gleaming for one brief moment before Bonnie finally gave in to her body's exhaustion and sank down.

"It's done," she breathed as she went down, "Grams…" The old woman smiled at her one last time and kissed her lightly on the brow.

"You did good, my child. You saved us all. In return for what you did here today, you'll be granted access to your magic again, despite what you now are... - Don't use it lightly…"

Bonnie saw Grams' lips move, but her words didn't register with her anymore, as the oblivion of unconsciousness wrapped itself around her tightly and she felt herself let go.

…

Enzo had been just in time to catch her before she hit the floor. But there was no time for any slow and gentle treatment and so he picked her up as carefully as possible and tried to follow where Klaus and Stefan had gone before him.

He sped past what felt like a horde of people, vampires and werewolves, some on his side, most on Fenris'.

He whirled around, ducking down as he heard shots fired in his direction and he felt something hot graze his skin as he tried to shield Bonnie's limp body as best as he could.

The masses were rushing toward the Armory, but it was as if an invisible force held them back, throwing them feet away as soon as they touched the building. Bonnie had succeeded. Even more so, she'd given them all an advantage by seemingly sealing the entire Armory shut.

But there was no time to look back and watch. There was no time.

Enzo sped forward, dodging bullets, kicks and fists, evading knives and vervain daggers. He ran, kicking his legs at anyone who came too close, snapping necks singlehandedly as he held Bonnie as if he were dancing a strange one-armed tango with her across a half frozen battlefield.

He needed to get her to safety, it was the one thought that kept him going.

* * *

…

Klaus sniffed as the cold air made his nose tingle, and he dodged the first attack easily. Without breaking a sweat he flew over to Caroline and was just about to pull her toward him, when out of the crowd Tyler freaking Lockwood appeared and shielded the blonde not only from the approaching horde but also Klaus, before picking up the werewolf witch and hoisting her limp body over his shoulder while yelling at Caroline to follow him.

A line of anger appeared between Klaus' eyebrows, but he tried to reign in his feelings as he made his way over there regardless.

"Hand me one of the girls," he said, his voice firm, brokering no argument, and Caroline didn't wait long before she did as he had told her, and together, they all tried to make their way out and away.

They couldn't dream of winning this battle, so all they could hope to do was get out of it alive. For that, they needed each other. Klaus found himself racing with an eerily quiet little girl clinging to him for dear life, her little slender arms around his neck with the trust of the young, and he couldn't help but think of Hope, his daughter. His life. He was glad she was far from this place.

But what if Fenris' army continued his fight for him? What if they didn't accept the big wolf's defeat as their own?

He didn't dare think about that as he fought his way through bodies, Caroline with her other daughter on his right, Lockwood with the witch right before them both, lithe body moving fast as he made a way for them through the growing crowd.

* * *

…

Stefan had reached the car first, and had shoved a still unconscious Valerie in the trunk to protect her while he tried his best to stave off any attacks. He was trying to wait for the others, but how long could he do that?

How long _should_ he do it?

He swallowed hard, forcing himself to think as he easily snapped the neck of a stray wolf who'd spotted their half hidden car. Maybe he should try and go back, see whether he could help them somehow, see how they were faring…

He had just made up his mind and decided to leave Valerie in the fragile safety of the trunk when he saw Enzo dart out of the trees to his side, then, a little farther behind, Tyler. And was that… Caroline? His heart skipped a beat.

"Get the fuck out of here, Stefan!" Klaus was yelling, and Stefan had heard him before he now saw him and jerked his head, grimacing.

"Same goes for you!"

He rushed over to take Josie out of the Original's arms and the poor little one clutched his neck so fiercely he had a hard time getting her in the car. He exchanged a brief glance with Caroline, nodding as she mouthed a "thank you," before she focused back on her daughters, not bothering to strap them in much as Tyler had already shoved Maeve onto the passenger seat and hopped into the driver's seat, yelling, "Go, go!" He hit the gas speeding off before the doors were even completely closed, leaving Klaus and Stefan panting in their wake as they raced down the road, not swerving when anyone stepped in their way.

"Nik! Stefan!"

Enzo had put Bonnie into the passenger seat as gently as possible under the circumstances. He'd briefly kissed her cheek before looking back over to the others just in time to see a large group of what must have been werewolves approach from all sides.

They were screwed. Stefan exchanged a glance with Klaus, then they took up position, backs to each other, arms raised, breathing hard, they waited. "I have to get over to the car," Stefan hissed, "Valerie is in there…"

"You're falling for that little redhead." The statement was said so casually, with such an obvious smirk, that Stefan found himself turning to Klaus with an irritated feeling. Even under the circumstances, his friend of old had found something that amused him. But it was absolutely not a joke to Stefan.

"Klaus."

"Fine, Ripper. Easy now. It's only a hundred or so werewolves. I'm sure we can somehow manage to enable your budding new romance to continue while fighting them all off."

Stefan had no energy and no time to allow Klaus' taunting to get to him, because just then, the crowd began moving faster, as if they had been awakened out of a slumber, and they all came racing toward them.

Stefan closed his eyes.

* * *

…

Enzo got into the car and started the engine. With a satisfying roar it came to life and he raced over to where the other two stood, just in time for a bunch of bodies to crash into the car rather than them. He felt his head lash back then forth, and he shook it to try and clear his vision, as more and more bodies just ran at him when Bonnie beside him suddenly started to open her eyes.

"Enzo?"

He smiled at her briefly, a warm and sad expression, as he felt what control he'd had left of their situation seep out of him.

"I-"

His words got cut off just as the car got rammed so hard it fell on its side and for one strangely elongated second Bonnie and Enzo felt like they were flying, beautiful green shards of glass glittering around them in a sharp rain as they gazed into each other's eyes. With sudden force, the moment stopped and they found themselves lying at an awkward angle, Bonnie having been catapulted into her fiancé, and when she looked out the front, expecting the horde of wolves to come at them and tear them apart, all she saw was Damon. Damon Salvatore...

And behind him, Elena, then Jeremy, crossbow strung taught.

Bonnie was still trying to process this new development, when Damon stuck his hand inside and roughly pulled her out, still strong, if not as strong as a vampire anymore.

"No time for idle dawdling, Bon Bon. You and pretty boy," he half shoved Bonnie into Elena's arms to offer Enzo a hand, smirking, "need to postpone your little romantic shmoozing till later. We are kind of in the middle of something here."

"Damon?" she looked from Elena back to him, briefly hugging both friends, then exchanging an awkward hug with Jeremy too. "Didn't know you were coming," she said, smiling, acutely aware of a strange tension between her ex and her fiancé as the two men now looked at each other.

"Well, can't trust you guys to get this done yourself. Lucky you have backup," and he pointed behind himself where Bonnie now noticed a large group of people emerging, already taking on Fenris' army, fighting alongside the vampires and Faelan's wolves: humans.

"Now excuse me," Damon suddenly blurted, "I'll have to lend my dear brother a hand." And off he went, rushing into the turmoil in search of Stefan.

"I'll go with him," Enzo hissed, giving Bonnie one passionate kiss. She tried to hold him back, but he shook his head, a sad expression full of love on his face. "I have to, Nik and Stefan are still out there. And you know Damon…" he shrugged and grinned, then sobered again. "I'll be back, love," he said, promising something both of them knew he might not be able to keep. Then he nodded to Elena, and sped off.

The two girls exchanged a look full of worry, then allowed Jeremy to usher them over to a big Hummer.

"We can't just sit and wait," Bonnie suddenly said, but Elena gripped her arm when she tried to go after the others.

"Don't, Bonnie. You don't know how much strength you got left. Not after what you just did."

"We can't just-" But then she remembered something. It was hazy at first, almost unreal. Had she really heard that right? Her Grams' words…

Her magic. Was it really back? Could it be? She had to give it a try. Maybe this battle could be won after all… And with a look at her best friend, she began to chant once more.


	23. When the hurly-burly is done

_Special thanks to Jade, jannay, and kpmindc: you guys are awesome! kpmindc: there'll be something coming up for you in the chapter after this one... ;)_

 _Incidentally, the next one will probably also be the last. We almost made it! Now is your chance to voice what scene you'd like to see. Whether there's anything special missing for you. (Other than some more Benzo, who are definitely gonna be the main focus of the last chapter.)_

 _Also: another ratings warning for a scene toward the end. We are slightly heading out of "T" there..._

* * *

...

 **Osraighe, Ireland, 12th century…**

She had dreams. A head full of them. She wanted to see the world, she wanted to find a prince to love her and cherish her. She wanted to show the world how strong she was, how independent.

She wanted to leave her mark on the world and not just perish as an unknown, never to be remembered.

But she knew those were all stupid dreams. Most likely she'd end up getting married off to one of the farmers in the next town over, she'd never even see the big cities, not to mention cross the ocean.

She'd never find true love.

She'd be long forgotten a mere fifty years down the road.

And then she stumbled upon a dark and handsome stranger, and little did she know just how profoundly that would change not just her world, but everything.

…

When he took his last few breaths, he saw her. His Orlaith. He knew it couldn't be, that it was probably just a trick of his mind, but he didn't question it.

She smiled down on him, her hair framing her face, an aura so bright around her that it blinded him.

"I missed you so much," he rasped, not seeing his father's angry and confused frown. "I'm sorry it took me so long…"

Her lips moved, and he squinted to try and decipher her words, but it was so hard, it took so much effort, and his strength was seeping out of him along with his blood at a too fast rate.

"I'm finally with you again… My love."

As Faelan closed his eyes, Orlaith gently wrapped her arms around him. "You are at peace," she whispered. "It's alright…"

…

Fenris watched as his son's eyes clouded over, his body changing from that of a wolf back to a man in death, and the old wolf howled in a sudden surge of rage and despair.

He'd killed his last living son, and he'd get an eternity to watch him decompose and remind him that it could all have been different.

What had he done?

...

* * *

…

 **Grove Hill, Virginia, present day...**

As the crowd around him thickened, Stefan began questioning whether he'd actually make it out of there alive, and he was slowly coming to terms with the fact that this, then, might be the end, when suddenly, he heard a familiar voice and startled.

"Hello, brother…"

His eyes widened as he saw Damon emerge among the other figures, a gun in hand, suddenly shooting an attacker point blank, then jogging over to Stefan's side.

"The hell are you doing here?"

"Saving your ass?! Trying to get you out of here, of course. And thanks for your kind welcome," Damon quipped, then gave his brother a quick and fierce hug.

"What a sweet reunion," Klaus suddenly said, and Damon rolled his eyes at Stefan, indicating the Original before turning toward him.

"Of course he'd still be around. Couldn't you have gotten rid of him?"

"Good to see you too, Damon."

"Interesting talent you have there, making every name sound like an insult," Damon said, eyes flickering, but then he turned his attention back toward his brother, "We gotta get out of-"

He was cut short as something flew toward his head and connected with his chin, making him topple over, stunned.

"Damon!" Stefan yelled, then rushed to pull his brother up and hectically checking from where the attack had come. He was holding up most of his brother's weight as they now tried to get out, but the way Damon had come from had already filled up with more hostile looking men and women, and Stefan exchanged a glance with Klaus, shoulders sagging.

They couldn't give up. They had to try. But it seemed so hopeless.

Suddenly, a man with a dagger appeared right in front of him, piercing his chest and he had to let go of Damon to try and stave off his opponent, to keep the wood from stabbing his heart. He stared into the stranger's eyes, seeing nothing but darkness, and he felt his arms grow tired, felt them start shaking when the other's eyes flickered briefly, then dulled, and without a warning, the man crumpled to the floor, dead.

"You're welcome," Damon said, his voice sounding thick and distorted, and Stefan took a good look at his brother, gently holding the older one's face toward the light to see the damage.

"You might have broken your jaw, brother," he stated, and Damon gave him an unhappy stare.

* * *

…

Enzo had a hard time following Damon, there were too many opponents to deal with. He ducked down to evade one attack only to be assaulted from the back, and he tumbled and fought to get the guy off of him, feeling his windpipe get crushed as he did.

He swirled around, hurling the man against his companions, using him as a weapon of sorts, and finally he could breathe again, and he sped onward, till he could hear Stefan's voice, then Klaus.

"Fancy seeing you here, Lorenzo," he said with a smirk, before pulling him by the arm, "Let's get the hell out of here. You shouldn't have come back. We might very well all die out here now…"

Enzo grimaced at him, then frowned at Damon. "Ouch," he said and got a pained nod in return, "you won't be doing much talking for a while with that."

"Thanks captain obvious," Damon pressed out, but scrunched up his face as he did and remained quiet from then on out. Enzo gave him a heartfelt pat on the shoulder, and jerked his head in the general direction they'd just come from, and they all tried to make a run for it before they got run over by attackers once more.

As both Enzo and Stefan tried to shield the human Damon, Enzo felt himself get knocked over by a tremendous force and the next thing he knew was Klaus pulling him up and dragging him away from whatever had made him fall in the first place.

He was too dazed to comprehend, and leaned heavily on the Original, hearing muffled voices around him, but unable to make out what they said.

"Bonnie…," he breathed, a sudden panic setting in, and he felt Klaus shake him, trying to put him back on his feet, yelling at him soundlessly. He looked toward the side and saw Stefan and Damon limping past, saw more and more of Fenris' forces just crumple to the ground, before he was finally able to focus on Klaus' face. There was blood coming out of his eyes, his ears, his mouth, but Enzo still didn't comprehend.

"Nik?"

"We gotta go! Something's messing with our wolf side, Lorenzo, it's not safe!"

Enzo frowned at Klaus, absently touching his own eyes, his lips. His fingers came away bloody, and he stared back at the other man blankly.

"If you ever needed more proof of what you really are: congratulations, there you have it. Now pull yourself together or I may have to leave you behind. And we both know your witch wouldn't let me live that down. Literally."

Klaus cocked his head, pointing at bodies writhing on the ground around them. No one was attacking them anymore, but that was not why Klaus wanted to hurry. Finally Enzo understood. They were only still upright thanks to their vampire side, but there was no knowing how long their bodies could tolerate whatever made all the wolves around them go down like they'd been felled.

Bonnie, he thought. It must have been her doing…

* * *

…

She had closed her eyes and started whispering words that came to her out of nowhere. It was as if she suddenly _knew_. Her access to magic hadn't just been brought back to Bonnie Bennett. Her knowledge had widened.

She had looked to Elena before making up her mind, and her friend had frowned at her, confused.

"What, Bonnie?"

"My magic. I got it back."

Elena had gasped, then hugged her friend briefly. "That's… great!"

"I'll have to do something," Bonnie had said, swallowing a tight feeling in her throat, "I have to try and help them. We can't let Fenris win now. But I…"

She had closed her eyes, trying to quench unbidden tears, raising Elena's concern.

"What's going on, Bon?"

"There's a spell. It… will take care of the wolves. It'll incapacitate them," she paused briefly, staring at Elena, "it may kill some. - And I don't know how it will affect hybrids, but…"

Elena touched her lips briefly, suddenly understanding. "He'll be fine, Bonnie. I know it. He's gotten through so much already…" He didn't know that at all. In fact, she wa worried what wouldn't happen to Bonnie if Enzo didn't make it. But she couldn't very well tell her that. So she'd opted for reassurance instead.

Bonnie sniffed, gripping Elena's arm, grateful for her best friend's presence. Then she swallowed hard once more, and whispered, "Okay," even though she wasn't ready at all.

"Okay," Elena echoed, still holding Bonnie's hand as her friend began to concentrate on the words she had to say.

...

It didn't even take all that long, the power came so naturally, the magic surging out of her so easily that she was done so fast Elena wasn't ready to catch Bonnie when her legs gave out and she slumped to her knees with a shudder.

"Bonnie! Are you okay?" Elena said, motioning over to where Jeremy was standing, obviously perplexed at what he had just witnessed. She was trying to get him to help her just as she saw Damon appear down the road, Stefan's arm around his waist, then a bleeding Klaus who was half dragging Enzo with him.

She was torn for an awful moment, looking from Damon to Bonnie and back again, but then Bonnie waved a hand, muttering "Go, I'm okay," while she was trying to get back on her feet, and they exchanged a quick glance before Elena ran over to her boyfriend, just as Bonnie staggered to her feet, then made a few slow steps to meet her fiancé.

Enzo sped forward out of some sudden impulse and wrapped his arms around her tightly, taking her off her feet. When he finally set her back down, still holding onto her fiercely, her fingers wandered up to his face, gingerly touching the traces of blood there. "I'm sorry, babe. I had to do something…" she muttered, sorrow in her eyes, but he smiled down on her, shaking his head.

"You did marvelous, love. This," he indicated his blood on her finger, "is nothing. But you saved us all. I can't believe my woman just singlehandedly saved the world." There was something like awe in his expression, and Bonnie felt the heat of shyness creep into her cheeks.

"I just… I didn't know what else to do. I hope I didn't cause you…," she paused, allowing a quick glance over to Klaus who playfully bowed down to her, smirking, "and your new bestie too much pain." She rolled her eyes, and Enzo chuckled.

"You're really not too fond of him, are you?" he asked, and she shook her head.

"But I guess as long as you don't make me sit with the two of you and banter about… hybrid guy stuff, we should be okay."

He had a hand in her hair, smirk turning into a smile. "Hybrid guy stuff, huh? How eloquently put, Bonnie Bennett. Mistress of witchcraft, and words."

She slapped his arm playfully, then abruptly leaned in and gave him a kiss.

"I wasn't sure I'd see you again," she mumbled in between, tears now running down her cheeks, a sudden shaking racking her body, and she was so glad when he just held her, not breaking contact, until her limbs slowly relaxed again and she was certain she could stand once more.

"If not in this world, then in the next," Enzo muttered, and she looked at him curiously, before she smiled, then leaned her head against his chest as they walked over to the others.

* * *

…

 **Five days later…**

Caroline was in the kitchen, cleaning up the mess she and the girls had created by making pizza dough together. There was flour everywhere, the counter a sticky nightmare. But seeing their little happy faces had been worth it.

She'd feared the whole experience at the Armory could haunt them, could have traumatized them somehow. They'd seen things no one that young should ever see. But they had done miraculously well.

They'd spent the first day all together, with Alaric over at his house, and it had felt so good, so natural, like a real family. For the first time Caroline had felt at home with Ric in an uncomplicated, non-romantic way, and she knew it had been the same for him.

They'd even chattered about their respective love lives once the girls had been in bed.

Ric had disclosed how Georgie had made an attempt to kiss him only for him to admit to her that he might already be falling for someone else, that handsome British university professor.

Caroline smiled at the memory. She hadn't seen Ric this happy since Jo. It was as if finally, everything was just falling into place for all of them.

She glanced over at the girls again. "Not so much!" she called over to them, laughing, while the twins were happily - and rather deliberately - smearing tomato sauce over the pie, then sprinkling cheese on top. This should be an interesting dinner to say the least.

She was jolted out of her musings when she heard the doorbell ring, and she froze for a brief moment.

Tyler. It _had_ to be him...

It had been almost a week since they had last seen each other, but it had felt like forever.

He'd driven Maeve back over to Winter's Cove, making sure she was alright. They'd talked on the phone briefly while he was gone, but never much. He'd let her know he had to finish up something out there, then he'd come back.

"Mommy, can I open the door?"

"What, sweetie?"

Lizzie looked at her curiously, "Are you okay, mommy?"

"Of course! I… this should be Tyler. You remember mommy's friend?"

"Your boyfriend?" Josie piped up, grinning, and Caroline felt her own lips turn upward in reply as she confirmed, "Yes, my boyfriend. - Let me open the door, you two just try to get most of the cheese _on_ the pizza, okay? I'll be right back."

And off she sped to the door, finally opening it and staring right at him. "Ty?" Her heart jumped as he cocked his head, breaking into a smile.

He looked… different. Less haunted. Almost… at peace.

With an unexpected movement, he picked her up and whirled her around, looking at her as she laughed. Once he finally set her back down, she clutched his jacket lapels and leaned in, their noses almost touching.

"I missed you, Caroline," he said, his eyes suddenly hungry as they ran over her body, and she found herself swallowing as she felt a tingle spread inside of her.

"I missed you too, Tyler," she whispered in reply. Their lips met, barely touching at first, then slowly becoming more demanding.

Caroline was getting lost in the moment, when suddenly, she felt small hands tug at her and she looked down only to see red smudges on her hanger shirt and Josie's concerned little face.

"Are we gonna go eat the pizza now, mommy?"

She furtively wiped a hand over her mouth, then smiled at her daughter, then at Tyler.

"Let's put it in the oven now, sweetie, okay? And _then_ we will eat it."

She gave Tyler a nod and gently guided her daughter back to the kitchen and over to the sink, while she followed them quietly.

"Tyler!" Lizzie was grinning brightly at him when she saw him, and came racing over, hugging him so naturally that, to Caroline's amusement, he awkwardly and a little shyly blushed.

This was going to work, she suddenly thought, and a warm feeling washed over her.

...

The kids were long in bed when they finally got a chance to continue where they had left off. And even then, after they laid spent on the couch, still half naked and a little sweaty, they didn't think of going to bed. Their minds were just too full. Caroline's head was resting against Tyler's shoulder, his hand on her leg, and for a long time neither of them said anything. Until Caroline finally asked, "The trip went alright then? Did anyone give you any trouble?"

She heard him breathe out slowly, before he answered, "No. No, they were all… really friendly." He was lost in thought for a while, before he divulged how the meeting with Faelan's pack had gone.

...

Maeve had been silent for most of the car ride there, and he hadn't prodded her. Of course she had been upset. Who wouldn't have been, in her situation...

Right before they'd finally gotten to their destination, she had suddenly looked over to him, and touched his arm with one slender cold hand.

"You did this for my son," she had said, making him frown uncomfortably, "you let that… man turn you."

"I didn't _let_ him. I had no choice." He had glared at her briefly, pressing his lips together, making a decision. He had sighed and shot a glance at her again, before concentrating back on the road. "Listen," he'd begun, "You don't know Klaus Mikaelson the way I do. I'm not gonna go into detail about who he really is and what he did to me. Just… don't let your son be influenced by him. If you can, don't let Klaus near him at all."

Maeve had furrowed her brow but had not said anything in response. There had been an awkward tension between them for a while, before Tyler had decided to tackle he topic again, differently. He had felt it his duty to get his point across.

"He'll destroy your son. He won't lay off until he has full control of him - and of your whole pack. - If you let him."

"Why should I believe you? I don't know you, either. Klaus Mikaelson has at least offered to help Jack adapt."

"If that's what you want, I'll offer the same. I'll throw in a bonus. I'll show Jack how to break his sire bond to Klaus, how to be completely free."

"Sire bond?"

Tyler clenched his teeth, grinning unhappily at hearing the question in Maeve's words.

"Nobody happened to mention that, huh?"

They'd exchanged another glance. Then, with a tired eyeroll, he had started to explain.

…

Later, when they'd reached their destination, Maeve had completely changed her attitude toward him. The wariness had gone, anger had taken over, though not anger toward him, but Klaus.

She had taken him to Jack, and they had had a lengthy conversation about everything. About Klaus. About severing the sire bond. About Tyler.

Jack's face had been stoic through most of it. But when it had come to Tyler's vivid description of what it took to break the bond, he'd seen a flicker of fear cross the other man's face.

"I've done this before," he'd let him know in a calm voice. "I've also helped others go through it. I can do it again. If you let me…"

They had stared at each other for a long time, Maeve saying something, advising her son, but neither of them had really listened. Then, eventually, Jack had simply nodded his head.

…

Caroline had listened to his account of events, then looked up into his face when he fell silent again. His steady heartbeat picked up a little at her still naked body touching his more fully.

"So he's already started the process."

"Uh huh."

"And you're gonna go back there."

He gave her a sad and guilty look. "I just couldn't be without you for so long," he admitted and saw her frown change into a smile.

"You really missed me."

He half grinned, half frowned at her. "Of course I did."

"I just… I wasn't sure..."

"Can you wait for me?" he suddenly asked, "If I have to leave again for a few weeks? I don't want to risk this, _us_ , but I can't let Jack suffer through what I had to go through."

Her face scrunched up with new sadness for him, for his past pain, for her own, then she nodded. "I can wait. Just come back to me-" He kissed her before she could finish her sentence, and she leaned closer, gripping him hard, kissing him right back, passionately. She needed him, needed to feel him, taste him, needed to flood all her senses with him. Only then would she be able to let him go again.

Though never again for long.

"I love you, Tyler."

"I love _you_..."

* * *

…

When they walked through their door, exhausted and torn, Bonnie still felt the urge to be as close to Enzo as possible. She needed to know he was alright, that _she_ was alright. She wanted to crawl into him, never to be separated again, not even for a bit.

Of course that wasn't possible, she knew that. But it didn't keep her from suddenly turning around and pushing and pulling at his jacket, startling him. He smiled down at her, her mesmerizing green eyes looking up at him, her cheeks flushed, her breath coming in short bursts, and it didn't take a genius to know just what she wanted, and he swiftly shrugged off the jacket, let her pull his shirt up and over his head, then pulled her close to him, letting his hands wander under her clothes, tugging, helping her shimmy out of them till she stood naked in front of him.

She always turned him on, but having seen her earlier, so powerful, so focused, it made him hard again just thinking about it. He'd always had a thing for strong women. And she was easily the strongest, the most beautiful one he'd ever encountered. And he loved her like he hadn't ever loved anyone before.

"You own my heart, Bonnie Bennett," he rasped, his hands grabbing her butt, pushing her closer to him, or was she pulling herself closer?

"So cheesy, Lorenzo St. John," she whispered, a light chuckle in her voice, and he cocked his head, grinning back at her.

"Yet it's the truth…"

He leaned forward to kiss her, allowing her access to his belt, his pants, his cock. As she wanted to take him in her hands, he suddenly hoisted her up, and swiftly laid her down right there in the hallway, not two feet away from the door.

"Let me…" she hissed, urgently, "I need you inside of me…"

But he shook his head, smirking, as he got down on his knees, his arms framing her stretched out body, and she gripped them both as he now dipped into her middle with a quick flick of his tongue, teasing her, making her arch her back almost violently.

"Easy, easy," she gasped, laughing, "We girls have _a lot_ of nerve ends down there, remember?"

He looked back at her briefly, a smile playing around his lips, "Like this?" He asked, and she instantly remembered again just how well he knew her as his tongue barely even touched her, just gently grazed her tender skin, his rhythm picking up soon, his strokes getting faster, faster, circling her clit till she begged him to touch it already, make her cum, and she knew immediately that it wouldn't take much now, just one stroke right where she needed it, and when it finally came, his hands cupped her breasts, pinching her nipples hard and she couldn't suppress the yelled moan escaping her then, before she fell back on the cool floor for only a short moment, then pulling herself up on her arms to stare into his dark eyes, before she took his cock and guided it to where she needed it.

"Fill me up," she said, and he gladly obeyed, staring right at her as he entered her, feeling her warm and tight inside around him, a brief shiver crossing his body as he did.

She kept her eyes trained on him, enjoying the view, seeing him go in and out, teasing her - teasing himself - before she grappled at him, clutching her arms around his back, shoving herself at him. "More," she hissed, "deeper."

He pushed inside of her, again, and again, faster, harder, until, at last, he came, too, so violently that he half collapsed on top of her, shaking, and she clung to him, loving the feeling of his weight on top of her.

Finally, she felt grounded once more, and the weight of the day left her as she listened to him breathing.

* * *

…

The place had started to get on his nerves the minute he woke up from anesthesia, but after almost a full week in the hospital, Damon Salvatore was positively livid at having to spend even one more day there.

But. His jaw was also positively broken, and eating was barely possible, not to mention talking.

And a Damon that couldn't talk was not a happy Damon.

He grumbled out something as Elena gently kissed his cheek, and he tried to focus on what Stefan was saying instead of wallowing in self pity. Which wasn't easy.

"I'll miss you, brother," Stefan was just saying, and Damon realized that he hadn't quite paid enough attention.

So, wait. Had he heard that correctly? Stefan was going on a trip. With Valerie?!

"So you and Caroline…" Elena looked at Stefan, shaking her head to indicate what she meant, and the younger Salvatore reciprocated the gesture.

"It's fine. I think we both realized that… it wasn't meant to be…"

"And you and Valerie?" Elena looked as concerned as Damon felt. He didn't trust that heretic farther than his human self could have thrown her, and obviously that would not have been very far at all.

Stefan merely smirked in answer, then came over to his brother's bed and gave him a hug.

"I know Elena will take good care of you. But try not to get into too much trouble, okay? I expect to see you alive and happy, and just a little bit older when I come back."

"I'll try my best," Damon said, but it sounded horribly distorted and it hurt to speak. He grimaced and Elena looked at him worriedly, gently stroking his face.

If he was being honest, he did like the special attention this all got him. Though he could have done without the pain.

Stefan sighed. "Alright," he said, "Valerie is waiting. I'll talk to you once we get to New Orleans. Goodbye, brother."

Damon felt sadder than he thought he would upon seeing his brother leave, even though he knew it wasn't gonna be forever.

With a sigh, he leaned back in his hospital bed and tried a smile as Elena cuddled up next to him, closing her eyes.

Yes, he thought again, he could get used to this.


	24. This story's over it goes on and on

_You guys! I can't believe it's done! I struggled a bit here and there, but I'm very happy I managed to get it all out into writing. It's not perfect by any means. Far from it. And as with every story I write it kinda "wrote itself," so I'm sure I messed up the continuity and stuff here and there. But it's done, and it has an actual ending._

 _It didn't even take me forever to write it. (Though long enough...)_

 _Anyways. Thanks to all of you who made - and will make it - through to the end. If you feel like it at all, I'd love to hear your thoughts. If you have questions or anything, I'll gladly reply - or type up a reply on my profile page for those of you without an account on here._

 _..._

 _Jade and kpmindc: thanks so much for having seen this through with me from the start. I really loved to hear from you. It definitely makes publishing a story that much more fun. :)_

 _Guest: your review made my day. I'm so sorry you have to deal with hurricane Irma, and I hope you will soon get back to normal over there. But I'm so glad I could help distract you for a little while with my story here._

 _Anyways. This, then, is the last chapter. It's mostly just a bunch of fluff. It seems a bit rushed to me, still, though I tried working on it. It works better in my head as a montage of sorts. I hope it'll work for you guys._

 _Thanks again! Here it is:_

* * *

...

The Salvatore House lay in a thick morning fog when Bonnie got there, and she took a deep breath as she exited her car and made her way over to the door. She took a glance up, marveling at how different her view of the building was these days.

Still a grand house, but way less intimidating and dark. It was filled with memories of parties now, of pancake breakfasts with Damon, of laughter… Soon, it would be an even happier place. Fewer vampires. More happy humans.

She was late, and she already knew she couldn't stay very long either. She sighed at the thought. Elena was finally getting her welcome home celebration, and Damon had invited them all for a nice breakfast, just when she and Enzo were getting ready to leave on their long planned trip.

She felt bad that she was going right then. But since Damon hadn't told them till the last minute, they had had booked their tickets, their hotels, everything. Too many things that couldn't easily be rescheduled. She'd make up for it upon her return.

"Heyyyyy!" Elena must have spotted her from inside because she had just come out of the door before Bonnie had even had a chance to knock on it, and both girls flew into each other's arms.

"So glad you are here."

"I'm so sorry I can't stay…" Bonnie looked slightly upset as she apologized for the umpteenth time, but Elena gave her a wide smile, shaking her head.

"Don't be. I _told_ Damon repeatedly he can't just expect everyone to be at the ready for when he springs his plans on them."

"Is he mad?"

Elena waved a dismissive hand. "Nah. He was a little grumpy yesterday. But what did he expect? He's lucky so many did have time on such short notice. I mean, who invites people over for a breakfast the day before the event? You should have heard Caroline give him a lecture on party planning just now." She pointed back inside, and laughed as Caroline suddenly poked her head out right then.

"Bonnie! Hi." She smiled, moving to hug her friend,too, and for the first time in a very long while, the three best friends were finally peacefully together again.

…

They all made their way back inside, chattering, walking over to the kitchen, where Damon was in the middle of mixing some batter.

"Bon Bon! Where did our favorite and only vampire witch leave her lesser half?"

Bonnie grinned as she rounded the kitchen island and dipped an index finger into the clumpy pancake batter. Damon slapped her hand like a good kitchen matron, and she laughed as she said, "He's busy getting our things over to the airport. I'll have to leave in a bit, too."

"But you couldn't go with one last taste of my world renowned hotcakes?"

Bonnie chuckled, giving him a sideways hug. "I missed your snarky banter, Damon Salvatore," she pointed to his jaw, asking, "How does it feel to be free again?"

He beamed. "Glorious! The world is starved for some good Damonisms, though. So I'm busy remedying that."

It had only been a few days since he'd finally been declared all healed up, and if Elena's eye roll was anything to go by, he was making good on that promise already. Bonnie smiled. She was so glad to see how happy, how normal everyone seemed to be.

She peeked around the corner, into the living room and saw Tyler animatedly talk with Jeremy. A little further to the side, Alaric and his pretty new colleague had stopped near the fire place and were cozying up rather obviously just as his twins came running around a corner, crashing into him from behind, making him lose his balance and accidentally fall forward against the woman.

Bonnie grinned and looked over to Caroline, both girls exchanging a glance.

"I guess your daughters are the best dating help Ric could have hoped for."

They both chuckled, until Damon said mock angry, "Hey, cut poor Ricky-boy some slack. He's just getting back into the game. - Now go and let me gern this done before Bon has tomlewce without having a bite of perfection first."

The three friends rolled their eyes at Damon's hubris, Elena gave him a quick kiss, then they finally walked in so Bonnie's could greet the others.

…

She really couldn't stay long. By the time she'd half eaten her first pancake, Enzo showed up to whisk her away. While he was chatting with Elena and the other guests for a moment, even exchanging a few words with Matt Donovan in a sudden outbreak of amicability, Bonnie stood waiting at the door with Damon, standing on tip toes to whisper a few last parting words into his ear.

"I put a cloaking spell on the house. And on the old Gilbert lot. So if you really want to surprise Elena with rebuilding her old home, it will be protected."

"Thanks Bon."

She gave him a look. "Remember that while I put one on you as well, there'll probably still be someone out to come and get you. You're the cure, Damon…"

"I know." His voice was firm, but she knew him. She knew that despite everything, despite his happiness, he was also worried. If he was ever found, or if someone tried to get to him through Elena, through his brother, through his friends, they still could.

"We just need to keep on pretending you're gone," she said, reminding him of their elaborate ruse, and his mouth formed a thin line.

"Do you think…," he wavered, and she touched his arm briefly, smiling, anticipating his words.

"She loves you more than anything. As long as she's with you, she will be happy."

"I don't want her to feel caged. With me. In good old boring Mystic Falls…"

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "Well, of one thing you can be sure. It's not gonna be boring. Not here."

He allowed a small smile to curl the corners of his mouth upward, just as Enzo showed up from the kitchen, grabbing Bonnie and pulling her to his side, where she lightly giggled against him as he said, "Did I interrupt anything?"

"Just our tearfilled goodbyes," Damon quipped, smirking, then patted both his friends on the back.

"You two take care of each other," he pointed a finger at Enzo, "Bring her back to us," he ordered him, before he looked to Bonnie, "And you make sure he doesn't get himself - or you - killed."

Bonnie rolled her eyes but grinned.

"See you in a little bit, Damon."

With that, they walked out of the house, ready to let their adventure begin.

* * *

…

Bonnie was ridiculously nervous. They'd gotten to the airport without delay, and while the place was bustling with people, it hadn't taken them long to get through the check in since Enzo had already taken care of most of it beforehand.

The suitcases were on their way, the tickets in their hands, when suddenly she noticed something. She took a second look at her ticket, then at his, and her face fell. "We are not sitting together?"

Enzo frowned, then followed her finger as she pointed out the location of their seats. "That can't be right. I'll go and see what we can do about that. I'm sure it's a mistake. We will just ask them to switch our seats. Here," he took the tickets from her, "let me go over to the check in lady again, and we'll sort this out."

She made an unhappy face. "You're going to compel her, aren't you?"

"Or… why not you?"

He fought down a smirk, but she could still see it lighting up his eyes. He thought she was being ridiculous, and that's why he teased her, she knew it. And it worked. She was getting annoyed. But she had her standards. She didn't want to use compulsion to her advantage, not in everyday situations like this one.

Determinedly, she looked up at him and took the tickets. "I'll go over and talk to her. Maybe we can sort this out like normal human beings-"

"Which we are not…," he interrupted her, smirk now undeniable, and she slapped him lightly with the tickets before she stalked off, leaving him in her wake.

* * *

…

"Hiiiii," Bonnie chirped with her brightest smile when it was finally her turn. The lady at the check in desk smiled right back at her.

"What can I do for you, Ma'am?"

"Our tickets… see, my fiancé and I have seats on the next flight to Paris. But there must have been a mix up? We are not sitting next to each other…"

She shoved the tickets over to the young woman, who leaned closer to take a look.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Let me check whether we can't get you two…" She quickly consulted her computer and flew through some data, and Bonnie turned to Enzo with a winning grin.

"See?" she mouthed, and he cocked his head, grinning, then raised a cautious finger when the lady returned her attention to Bonnie.

"I am so sorry, Ms. Bennett. It looks like the entire flight is completely booked." Bonnie's face fell.

"This is a - what? - six hour flight? Do you expect us to sit apart from each other for that long? We specifically booked the tickets together. So that we could sit _together._ "

"I know, Ma'am. And like I said, I apologize for any inconvenience this causes you. Maybe someone on the plane will be able to help you out. There're often people willing to trade places-"

Bonnie huffed and glared over at Enzo, who was stifling a laugh before saying, "It's alright, love. I'm sure we can manage. It won't be for long…"

But Bonnie's glare merely darkened as she whirled around again, grabbing the surprised woman's face in both her hands, locking her gaze on hers as she whispered, "Okay. I don't care how you do it. But you will figure something out right this second and give us new seat numbers next to each other." She paused briefly, then added, "And you will bring us some complimentary red wine as an apology for our troubles as soon as we have taken off. - Oh, and… you won't remember this ever happened and will just continue working as if I'd never been here."

She felt Enzo's gentle hand on her back and pressed her lips together. Only then did she realize that she had started shaking. She quickly let the poor woman's face go and cleared her throat. She flew into Enzo's embrace and apologized quietly.

"I'm horrible. I shouldn't have done that. I don't think I'm ready for this whole vampire thing…"

He looked down at her mildly. "It's alright, love. It takes time. And nobody says you have to use compulsion if you don't want to."

"But you said…"

"If it makes you uncomfortable, then you don't do it. All I want is for you to be happy and to learn to accept your new nature. Trust me, I know how hard it is to be thrown into this existence. I wish I hadn't done this to you. Though I don't regret one moment that's you are still with me." He smiled at her sadly. "But I promise you I'll be there for you throughout everything. I'll do what I can to help you adjust."

"Enzo…" She clung to him, the check in lady behind her still typing something into her computer and making a few calls.

"I didn't have that," he went on, "You know that when Lily turned me… I woke up abandoned on that ship and had to figure it out all by myself. And we all know how not well that went."

"You were alone." Her face conveyed so much sadness for him that it physically hurt Enzo, and he pulled her closer against him.

"But you are not," he whispered. "You have me, love. For better or for worse."

"For better," she whispered against him. "And you have me."

She kissed him then, fiercely, long, and only a gentle tug made her pull back again. Enzo was indicating the woman with their tickets, who seemed to have tried to get their attention. Cheeks flushing as she exchanged a glance with her amused fiancé, Bonnie then turned around, grinning sheepishly at the woman.

"Ma'am." She was holding out their tickets, a relieved smile on her face. "Here are your new seat numbers. I jotted them down for you here," she pointed a finger. "Again, I'm very sorry…"

Bonnie pretended to be listening as she felt Enzo's hand gently grab hers. And for the first time, she allowed herself to actually feel excited.

This was happening. Paris. Enzo St. John was taking her, Bonnie Bennett, a vampire and a witch, on a trip to Paris, the city of love. Of art. Of life.

The city of her dreams. Because she _had_ always dreamed of going there one day.

...

She remembered chattering with Elena and Caroline about how they pictured the man they were going to marry one day wooing them. She'd informed them as if it was a fact that her husband-to-be was going to take her to Paris. They'd see the Louvre, they'd drink coffee in a cute little bistro. They'd walk down the Champs-Élisée…

She'd seen it all so clearly.

But she'd never been able to see the man by her side.

While both Caroline and Elena had had huge crushes on stars influence their description of their respective "husbands," Bonnie had drawn a blank.

They'd been so very young, so innocent. Caroline had looked so concerned when Bonnie had said there wasn't a clear picture of the man.

"Not even an idea? Come on, Bonnie. What is your type? Is he dark haired? Blonde? Ginger? A beard? Clean cut? Is he tall? He's gotta be tall and handsome, right?"

Bonnie smiled at the memory. How Caroline had frowned and come up with a catalog of criteria. Eventually, Bonnie had just given in and nodded here and there.

If only she'd known how accurate she'd been…

Dark, she'd said. But… just the eyes, the hair. Pale complexion. Aristocratic. Tall build. But not hulking - she was rather petite after all, what could she do with a hunk of a man?

Caroline had frowned at all that. "Really? I'm not sure that sounds like you at all," she'd argued, but Elena had shaken her head with a warm expression on her face.

"I don't know," she had said, "I think it really kinda does, actually…"

And Bonnie had been more confused by that than Caroline's vehement denial.

She shot a quick glance in Enzo's direction, taking in his handsome features, his dark hair, deep eyes, and as he gave her a curious stare, she just smiled at him, slung an arm around him, and like that they finally walked over to their gate.

Yes, she thought. This was happening.

…

Yet in a way it also wasn't…

…

Enzo wasn't one for going by the book and bee lining straight to all the usual suspects. There was no stroll down the Champs-Élisée, no waiting in line to climb the Eiffel Tower. And while a part of Bonnie was upset about that, it didn't last very long when he explained to her,

"I want you to _experience_ this city, Bonnie. Not wait in line and get run over by hordes of tourists. We will get to see the sights, of course, fear not, love. I wouldn't do that to you. But trust me a little, and let me show you how fascinating this city really is."

She'd taken a deep breath, then exhaled very slowly. "Okay," she'd whispered.

They'd taken so many walks, and boat tours, they'd eaten at hidden little places, then walked some more till they were both exhausted and ready to fall into bed for a round of almost chaste sex because that was all their tired bodies could still manage. They laughed a lot. They kissed a lot. They saw _so_ much!

And now here they were, at Jacques Sirgent's "Musée de Vampires…" and Bonnie loved every obscure minute of that, too.

"Really?" She'd asked at first, laughing at Enzo, but he'd insisted. Just like he'd insisted on showing her the abandoned railroad line around the city, or the catacombs.

Or Giverny, that beautiful garden Claude Monét had painted over and over. They'd walked through it, sat by the water, they'd breathed in the crisp air, marveled at the beauty of the place. They'd even taken a boat trip, and Bonnie had clung to Enzo, shivering and giggling as she'd fought off a sudden bout of sea sickness.

But this… this was different. There was so much on the history of vampires. Books, old manuscripts. But also strange contraptions and vials of unknown origin, and posters of filmic renditions of Dracula and other vampires.

Half of it all was nonsense, of course. But she wondered how much there had actual meaning to the vampire community. Whether there were any treasures hidden that they all should know about.

As she walked among the strange trinkets and books, she felt a weird sense of foreboding, and she was glad that Enzo was walking right beside her, with an air of amused curiosity. He didn't seem to take it all too seriously. And maybe he was right.

Still…

Bonnie suddenly stumbled over the broken spine of a very old looking book, and she quickly touched it, jumping back quickly when she felt a strange jolt go through her.

Enzo frowned at her. "Are you okay, love?" he asked, then, upon her nodded reply, he carefully approached the book and pulled it out. It didn't seem to harm him at all.

"Against nature. In defense of vampirism" it read and as Enzo flipped through the few pages, reading here and there, Bonnie peeked over his shoulder carefully.

"What is it about?" she asked. "When was it even written?"

"'I'm not sure," he said, "most of the writing is illegible, unfortunately. But it doesn't seem to be as old as I first thought. This," he pointed at the small font imprint on the second page, "seems to say 1776, maybe 1778…"

"Can I…"

As Bonnie tried to reach for the book, Enzo gave a brief warning, "Be careful, love." She smiled at him, then took the book anyway. She held it in her flat hands for a moment and closed her eyes, tapping into the book's hidden magic.

"Bonnie."

Her eyes flew open again, and she gasped. "Huh," she made, and Enzo looked at her worriedly.

"Are you alright, love?" he asked as he took the book from her and quickly put it back in its spot. She nodded, suddenly tired, and let him pull her close.

"I felt something, Enzo. Something powerful. It's… as if the book sees a purpose in us? One that's larger than anything we'd ever assumed."

"We could ask Nik whether he's heard about it." Enzo gave a shrug, and Bonnie looked up to him, not even too annoyed at the mention of the name this time.

"Ya," she allowed, "maybe. He's an Original, so… if anyone knows anything about it, I'm sure it'd be his family…"

Enzo smirked suddenly, kissing her hair. "Really? Bonnie Bennett is willing to mull over something with Niklaus Mikaelson?"

She rolled her eyes, but grinned. "Doesn't mean we're gonna be best friends now, though!"

Enzo merely chuckled and slowly guided her out.

* * *

...

"I can't believe we are doing this!" Elena peeked out the window at the beautiful tufts of white clouds underneath them, clinging to Damon's arm as she did.

"Are you sure this is even safe? I mean, Bonnie didn't mention traveling by plane when it comes to that cloaking spell-"

Damon nuzzled her neck playfully, breathing her in. Only reluctantly did he stop to answer. "I'll be fine. Bon Bon knows her magic. What use is there in being best friends with the most powerful witch if attending her wedding would so easily kill me?"

Elena raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't say anything.

"Come one, gorgeous, no one even knows about this. It'll be fine. And you've always wanted to be there for each other on your… special day," he said, half mockingly, and she allowed a small grin to surface on her earnest face.

He was right. They'd always wanted to be a part of each other's weddings. Caroline, Bonnie, and she. And Elena was so glad she'd get the chance to be there for Bonnie.

She turned around to look at Caroline, who was sitting across the aisle with Tyler. She tried to catch her friends eye, but the blond was too preoccupied, and Elena grinned at seeing her two friends flirt and kiss so happily, clearly thinking they were more inconspicuous than was the case.

With a sigh, she leaned back again, resting her head against Damon. This was going to be a fun trip after all. She just had to relax…

* * *

…

The taste of the famous Ladurée macarons still fresh in her mouth, Bonnie licked her lips and grinned widely at her fiancé.

"I love you, Enzo, do you even know how much?" she asked him, probably for the hundredth time on that day alone, and she loved him even more when he gripped her hard and bent her over till she almost touched the ground, before pulling her back up, kissing her passionately as he did.

They were standing right by the Eiffel Tower, its bright lights illuminating the night around them, and Bonnie was ridiculously happy about being able to experience this cheesy and stereotypical moment, especially because she knew how little Enzo himself had cared about doing the "touristy things."

They'd spent the entire day doing as many of those cliché things as she could have possibly hoped for, until he'd brought her here.

He was looking at her now, his eyes bright, his lips curled into the beginning of a smile, when he quietly said, "Enough to marry me, Bonnie Bennett?"

She smiled a frown, then said, "Of course, remember, we are already engaged."

But he shook his head ever so slightly, then took her hand in his and very slowly pushed a small and slender ring up her finger.

"Enzo…," she breathed, feeling like a cliché herself as he touched her lips, her body trembling. "But I… I don't need a ring, I…"

"No you don't. But I wanted to give you one anyway. So, will you marry me, Bonnie Bennett?"

"Yes, of-"

"Will you marry me here, in Paris?"

She gasped, shocked, her eyes widening. "Here?!"

He nodded. "Tomorrow. There's a cute little chapel-"

"Tomorrow?!" She couldn't believe this was really happening. "But I don't even have anything to wear, and…"

"The night is young, love. We will find you something. Although," he smirked at her suggestively, "I'd marry you naked just as gladly."

She nudged him, flushing, and kissed him. "Alright then," she muttered, "Let's get married."

* * *

…

Finding a dress turned out to be surprisingly easy. But how could it not if your fiancé took you to the fanciest French couture houses and you got to try on the most beautiful robes like a princess in a showroom. Bonnie loved every minute of it, curtsieing after every new dress, doing pirouettes in each and every dress she tried on.

She blew kisses, and giggled like a happy teenager, and it was when they finally went to the cash register to pay that she realized that this was more perfect than anything she could have ever dreamed up.

She went to bed that night knowing she'd wake up on her wedding day, and it was the most surreal feeling she'd ever had.

Enzo stood in front of her, kissing her gently, when the reality of it all seemed to catch up with her and she started to feel slightly scared.

"It's really happening, isn't it?" She looked at him and he nodded between kissing his way up her now bare arm. "You're not suddenly gonna be snatched away from me by a banshee or a siren or some hybrid curse no one's ever heard of before, are you?"

He made an amused face, but tried to reign it in when he noticed how serious she was. She was scared, understandably so. Her life had been filled with so much tragedy that a happy wedding _had_ to seem too good to be true.

"I get it, love," he breathed against her cheek, his soft lips grazing her even softer skin, "Our lives have not exactly been prime examples of picture perfection. But. Fairy tales begin like our story, don't they? The princess and her knight in shining armor have to weather many trials and tribulations before they get their happily ever after. You saved the world, Bonnie Bennett, and I believe it's time _you_ get your happily ever after now, too. And I'm very glad that is with me…"

Her eyes welled up, unbidden tears quickly running down her face, but Enzo merely smiled at her, wiping them away before letting his warm hands slide down her body, his touch so light it made her shiver. His mouth traveling where his fingers had gone before, he traced his way down. When he was on his knees before her, she tried to shove his head away, just once, but he looked up at her, shaking his head, and she nodded quietly, letting herself fall back on the bed where she let him have his way with her, taking her worries away as he went.

* * *

…

The tiny chapel was indeed that: tiny. A ridiculously cute little building that she expected to be old and musty smelling inside. When she entered it, holding Enzo's hand so tightly that she feared she caused him pain, she was not at all prepared for the sea of flowers inside.

A soft pastel pink and white the predominant colors, the flowers gave the chapel the perfect wedding vibe, a few candles and a beautiful chandelier adding an extra touch of light. Bonnie looked to Enzo with wide eyes, and he merely smiled at her, pointing. As she followed his outstretched hand, she swallowed hard, unable to keep her tears at bay.

They were here! Her friends were here… Elena, and Caroline. Damon, and Tyler. She touched the place above her heart, then, with a look at Enzo, she ran over to them quickly, giving them a big hug.

"You're really here," she choked out, and all girls were in tears by then.

"One could get the impression we are here for a funeral, ladies," Damon quipped, earning himself a nudge from Elena and a laughing eye roll from Bonnie.

"With our track record," she said, "it might still turn into one."

But Damon shook his head, kissing her gently on the temple. "Not gonna happen, Bon. This is your happy day. I'll personally see to it that nothing and no one will change that," he whispered for only her to hear, and she smiled at him affectionately just as they both saw Klaus Mikaelson linger by the entrance.

Damon sighed, starting to swagger over there himself, "Let me take care of this," he announced, but Bonnie quickly grabbed his arm and shook her head. Damon gave her a curious stare.

"You're not telling me you're best friends with him now, are you?"

She grinned and cocked her head. "He's here for Enzo, I presume."

"He's… bad company. Do you need me to get that point across to your future husband? - If he keeps company like that then maybe he is not worth _your_ company yet after all. Now is your chance to change your mind, Bon Bon."

She chuckled at his grave tone, but she knew he was serious and trying to protect her.

"It's okay, Damon. I can't say I was too happy about their strange friendship at first, but he's honestly been good to Enzo, and… well, Enzo can make his own decisions. He doesn't tell me to stay away from you, or Matt, and I don't tell him to stay away from his friends either. Besides, as weird as it sounds, Klaus is starting to grow on me…"

Damon rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything. Bonnie smiled at him again, then winked at Elena who nodded her understanding, before Bonnie finally made her way back over to her husband-to-be.

...

"Thought you were gonna do a runaway bride impression there for a bit," he joked.

"Never," she said, smiling, as he took her hand in his and walked her over to the tiny altar in the front, where a youngish looking woman waited for them already.

"This must be your bride, Monsieur St. John," she said with a lovely thick accent that made Bonnie feel all warm and fuzzy, and she shook the woman's hand happily.

"Nice to meet you." she said, and the woman smiled back.

"I'm Virginie Lasalle, I'll be your juge de paix." She paused briefly, motioned to the small group of guests and exchanged a look with both Enzo and Bonnie. "Shall we?"

They both nodded, smiling, and the ceremony began.

"Who is here to bear witness to this couple's marriage today?" she asked, and Elena stepped forward on Bonnie's behalf, saying, "I'm the maid of honor."

"And I," Klaus began, making Damon audibly groan in the back, "am the groom's best man…" He smirked, enjoying the moment, until Enzo gave him the slightest shake of the head and he reigned in his amusement.

Enzo lowered his head and whispered into Bonnie's ear, "I hope you don't mind…"

And to her surprise, she really didn't.

She knew that he hadn't made the decision lightly. She had hoped Damon would be the best man at their wedding, but deep down she had always known it couldn't have been. Not after their shared history.

She gave Enzo's hand a brief squeeze, and the look he gave her in reply told her just how much her support meant to him.

She was his world, and he was hers. It really was that cheesy. And, gosh, did she enjoy being part of something like that.

* * *

…

The ceremony raced by so fast and yet it felt like they were frozen in time, until they heard the magic words, "You may now kiss your bride, Lorenzo."

And he did. Bonnie closed her eyes as she felt his hand steadying her neck, his lips touching hers, and she felt complete.

When they reluctantly broke apart, Enzo's cheek still touching hers, they murmured another "I love you" for good measure before turning around to face their friends and leading the way out into the beautiful day.

Bonnie felt like they were swaggering out in slow motion, her dress floating around her, her cute little bouquet smelling so fragrant it was intoxicating. Their friends were right behind them, laughing and chattering, the spring of excitement in their steps, and then…

…

They opened the doors to pouring rain. Bonnie looked at Enzo briefly. "Well," he made, frowning in amusement, "I'm sure the world is just so touched by our love story that tears of rain seemed like the only proper reaction," he stated drily, and Bonnie couldn't help but laugh.

Laugh so hard she had to bend over and hold her sides to catch her breath.

She'd had the perfect trip to Paris, the perfect little wedding to the most wonderful man, a beautiful ring, and her best friends by her side, and then the weather had decided to do its own thing.

She smiled wide at Enzo, making up her mind.

"Let's go!" She suddenly yelled excitedly, startling everyone, and Caroline tried to object.

"I… we can try and wait it out - or, at least let me get some umbrellas somewhere…"

But Bonnie shook her head, gripped Enzo's hand, and started running. This was life.

This was perfection.

As they ran out into the rain, getting soaked within seconds, they both laughed like two little kids until they reached the car Enzo had rented, and they both stopped and kissed each other, not a care in the world.

And they were happy.

…

* * *

…

...

Klaus was sitting back in his patio chair, enjoying the view. He took a sip from the bottle of beer Enzo had brought out a few minutes ago, then grinned at his friend.

"Quaint little place you got there, Enzo," he said, nodding in appreciation, but Enzo rolled his eyes anyway.

"Am I to believe you care about my little cabin in the woods, Nik? We both know this is not your style," he said, smirking, as he took a sip out of his own bottle. "So, how is your family?"

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Let's say, my daughter turned me into a more mellow person. It seems to… help with certain matters." He remained cryptic and Enzo decided not to press the issue. He'd come to know the Original quite well. And he understood the desire to have a place where nothing and no one could bother you. He wanted his and Bonnie's home to be that place, not just for themselves, but also their friends.

He jerked his head, drinking more of the beer, letting the taste linger in his mouth a bit before swallowing. "My wife has a question for you…"

"Your wife," Klaus grinned. "Sounds very respectable."

"That's me. Your friendly respectable neighborhood vampire."

"Both hybrids… you two do know there's a lot of commotion in the world out there, right? People are starting to… develop an interest…"

Enzo frowned, annoyed. But he knew it was true. Being a hybrid attracted attention. Two hybrids… double the attention.

He also knew that Bonnie was a force to be reckoned with - and their little happy place was more than well protected. He winked as she walked out to meet them, her own bottle in hand, though she scrunched up her face in displeasure when the taste hit her tongue. He almost laughed.

"Bonnie, how lovely to see you," Klaus said, getting up to bow to her, and she rolled her eyes, before sitting down right next to her husband.

"Klaus," she said, then exchanged a glance with Enzo who nodded to her. She sighed, then continued, "We found a book. "Against nature. In defense of vampirism." She saw a flicker cross the Original's face. "Have you, by any chance come across it at all? Do you _know_ anything about it?."

"And where did you two lovebirds come across such a high literature treasure?"

"Paris," she said curtly, waiting.

Klaus grinned. "Of course… Well, my friends, the title is rather blunt and unpoetic, but I daresay the matter is the stuff legends are made of."

"Don't be so vague, Nik," Enzo told him, making him chuckle.

"Alright then… Are you two ready for another adventure, yet?"

Bonnie exchanged a wary glance with Enzo, getting comfortable next to him.

"Spill," she said. And his next words roped her in immediately…

…

Their honeymoon period was over, then. The world had them back. This time, however, it would be _their_ game. And she was ready to play it.


End file.
